PROMONITIONS
by darstar
Summary: A series of vignettes from the spoilers, photos and promos that have recently been shown regarding Season 10; Pure speculation and fiction on my part. If you are trying to stay spoiler free, then fair warning: don't read; Most characters will appear, but my motivation is first and foremost TIVA. Title is a play on the words "Promo" and "Premonition."
1. Chapter 1

_**I've seen and read enough Season X spoilers, photos and now the promo that I feel compelled to write my own take on what they mean. There will be several "vignettes," each involving a particular statement, photo or, as in the case of the first one, what was revealed in the promo. If you are trying to stay away from spoilers, then don't read these little stories. Not that what I write is in any way the reality of how the season will unfold, I just don't want to ruin anything for anyone.**_

_**This first story is regarding the elevator scene in the Season Ten promo that came out last week, hence the vignette title. Enjoy, and please review and let me know what you think of my take on things.**_

_**I don't own NCIS, its characters or stories, though I would kill be an extra on just one episode. Since I live in MD and not CA, odds are not good. Oh, and I have absolutely no acting experience, though I do have voiceover training. However, considering my recent neck surgery, my gross neck scar would fit right in. Minor details.**_

**PROMONITIONS **

Vignette One: "I thought the earth moved."

Tony was bored. Although in retrospect, considering what they had all been through over the last, what? Seven months? He should be jumping up and down with joy. But Tony was not one to sit around and do nothing. He looked over at Ziva, wondering what she was doing. They didn't have any active cases, so he couldn't understand what she was so engrossed in on her computer monitor.

Quietly rising from his chair, he wandered over to McGee's desk and stared at it for a second. McGee was back at work, but every time he saw that chair empty, his heart rate sped up a little bit, and he felt slightly lightheaded. He shook his head. They said that the symptoms of PTSD might never go away. As much as he fooled around when they were all "forced" to meet with the psychiatrist, Tony actually found that it had helped. Privately, although Ziva knew about it; he still made appointments, finally admitting to himself that asking for help was not a weakness.

Nonchalantly, he began to stroll toward Ziva's desk. She had been watching him out of the corner of her eye. She knew him so well. The past few months had brought them closer than ever. Sometimes, Ziva worried that they were taking things too far. She wasn't sure if she was ready for…wherever it was they were heading. After getting rescued, they finally had their heart to heart. Ziva remembered the exact moment that finally broke down all the barriers:

**March 15, 2012**

After being stranded together in an elevator for several hours, many of which while holding on to each other in some manner or another, it was inevitable that Tony would find as many movie references as possible to describe their situation.

Between "The Towering Inferno," "The Poseidon Adventure;" which even to Tony was pretty lame considering they weren't under water; the garbage shute in "Star Wars" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark," Tony had acted his way through so many scenes that Ziva finally had to threaten him with a concussion if he didn't shut up. "Ok, Miss Smarty Pants, Ninja-know-it-all. What do you suggest we do?"

Ziva looked around at the elevator, assessing for the gazillionth time their situation. "I still think we should try to climb out of the top of the elevator." Tony shook his head. "Too dangerous. And then what do we do? Fly up the shaft and out of the roof?" At least half of the ceiling had caved in with the initial blast. Fortunately for them, it was not made of glass or they may not have been having this conversation. But it didn't look stable. Ziva was certainly a tiny thing, but Tony wasn't willing to let her risk herself.

But Tony forgot who he was dealing with. "_Let_ her risk herself?" As if he ever had any say in anything she did So in the end, Tony had no choice but to help Ziva get up to the ceiling of the elevator, or watch her try to scale the walls like Spiderman. Or rather, Spider_woman_.

Leaning against the wall of the elevator to brace himself, Tony bent his knee to give Ziva a step up. She placed one hand on the wall and the other on Tony's shoulder. "Ok? One, two, three…" With that, Ziva quickly stepped up on Tony's knee, steadied herself, then swung her other leg around Tony's neck so that she was straddling his shoulders.

"Umphhh!" Tony allowed it to escape his lips. "Am I too heavy?" Ziva asked, her voice laced with concern. Tony took a few deep breaths, then slowly straightened up. "Never. By the way, what makes me think that you have performed this particular maneuver before?"

"This is not the first time I have had to escape from small places. Although this is my first elevator." "Awww…" Tony managed a smile. "So I _am_ your first."

"Keep it up and you may be my last." Tony shut up, and paid attention to what they were trying to do. He planted his feet to center his balance. "Are you ready?" He asked. Ziva looked down at Tony. "Are you?"

Tony craned his neck up so he could look into Ziva's face. "No, I don't like this and I don't want you doing this. But since you are; yeah, I guess I'm ready."

Ziva felt a lump in her throat. In the past, with Mossad, there had never been any personal concern for anyone's safety, just getting the job done_. "He is why I am here." _ Ziva realized, not for the first time. Tony DiNozzo had played a major part in every aspect of her becoming the person she was now, including being alive. They had a very special and private relationship.

But it never went beyond…_beyond_. There was always something, some obstacle, some person, some rule…Ziva smiled at Gibbs' rules. Tony was far more entrenched in them than she was. She sometimes felt that even if everything fell into place, Tony would play the Rule #12 card. Ziva shook her head, getting back to the business at hand.

Slowly, using her hand to support herself against the elevator wall, Tony helped her hoist first one foot, then the other, so that she was precariously standing on his shoulders. "Are you ok?" Ziva asked Tony. "Forget about me." He said through gritted teeth. "Just see if you can look around and find a way to get us out of here." Ziva cautiously rose up on her toes, gently touching what was left of the ceiling as leverage. She was just barely able to get her head above the ceiling line when the car creaked, then violently shifted.

"_Shit!"_ Tony thought to himself as Ziva lost her footing and was falling off of his shoulders. He turned so that he was facing her as she fell; ready to break every bone in his body catching her if that prevented her from getting injured. They fell together with a loud thud on the elevator floor, once again tangled up in each other's arms.

"This is beginning to become a habit." Tony panted, trying to ignore the pain in his side. Groaning, he forced himself to sit up, bringing Ziva up with him. They sat quietly for a few moments, each leaning against the wall. "I cannot take any more of this." Ziva said quietly.

Tony looked at her, not knowing what "this" was: being trapped in the elevator, not knowing if their friends, _their family_, were dead or alive. He didn't dare hope that her admission had anything to do with him and their relationship. Of'course, if it was, it could also mean she couldn't take anymore of Tony, which he couldn't handle thinking about.

Slowly, painfully, they managed to get back up to a standing position. Ziva's foot hurt, but she didn't say anything to Tony. Instead, she looked contrite. "I am sorry, Tony. You were right. I shouldn't have insisted we try this. We slipped." Her right arm was loosely around his neck, her left hand pressing on his chest for support. Tony had his left arm around her waist and his right hand on her hip. It was a very intimate pose, but neither made a move to break it. Tony looked at her, slightly shocked at her apology. Even though he had been right, he took no joy out of it. What he felt was relief, again, that they had not been killed; or more precisely, that Ziva had not been killed.

He also felt tired of pretending that this was not a serious situation and that he still was not 100% sure that the one person he cared about the most, the one person he cared _for_ above all others, was safe. Looking into her eyes, he made a simple statement. "Did we? I thought the earth moved."

Ziva was far too young to remember the Carole King song, and it was doubtful she had ever even heard of it. But between the softness of his voice, and the look on his face, she knew he was not making some corny song or movie reference to describe their current situation. Right then and there, Tony made a declaration to Ziva, and she understood what it meant. She looked into his face and eyes for what seemed like years, looking for some sign that he was being silly or frivolous or juvenile. What she saw was yearning, but not a sexual yearning; what she saw was the look of someone who had finally found the courage to say the words he had been thinking and feeling for a long, long time.

"Tony…" She began. He placed a finger on her lips, not willing to let her tell him he was seeing things that weren't there, or that this was not the appropriate place or time to be discussing their relationship. She nodded, giving him permission to speak. "I know what you are going to say, Ziva. But I am tired of not being able to say how I feel, to be able to act on my feelings".

"If this has taught me anything, it has taught me that life is too short, and fragile, and precious, to be afraid to go after what you really want in your life. I've made a lot of mistakes in my life. I have a lot of regrets. I don't want any more."

Ziva listened in silence as Tony opened his heart to her. She knew that when he said "this", he was referring to the bombing. All of their lives had been changed forever by that fateful day, and for some the changes had not been good. Tony wanted something good to come from the sorrow and torment that they had just been through. And to him, that something good was Ziva.

Surprising him, Ziva let her head rest in the crook of his neck. "I am afraid Tony. I am afraid of so many things. We cannot talk about this right now." She looked up at him. "But I promise that we will."

Tony searched her eyes, looking for evasion or, as much as he hated to admit it, lying. What he saw was worry, concern, and, to his relief, _caring_. "What are you afraid of, Ziva? I am not your father and I am not Ray."

Ziva closed her eyes, the memories forcing painful images in her mind.

She laid her left hand on his cheek. "Please, Tony. Let's get home, safe. Then we will leave nothing unsaid." She searched his eyes, hoping for understanding.

"Promise?" Tony asked quietly.

To his utter amazement, Ziva kissed him gently on the lips. "I promise."

**December 2012**

Ziva looked up as Tony reached her desk. "Watcha' looking at, Ziva?" He leaned in to get a peek at her monitor. She quickly closed it down. I am gift shopping and you do not need to see what I am doing."

Tony grinned. "You're buying me a gift?" Ziva rolled her eyes. "Well, Christmas is in two weeks is it not? Unless you would just like a lump of tar in your stocking"

Tony laughed. "Lump of coal, Ziva. And no, that is not what I want." He suddenly looked at her seriously. Ziva knew what he wanted, and she wanted to give it to him. She just wasn't sure she could say the words by Christmas. Just as she was about to change the subject, Tony's cell phone rang. He smiled at Ziva. "Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo!"

Ziva rolled her eyes and went back to her shopping.

"Dad?" Tony looked at Ziva, his eyes showing his panic. Ziva got up and walked over to him. "Well, yeah, it has been awhile. Since May, I guess." That remark confused Ziva. She knew that his father had been in constant contact with him following the event of the bombing, but she also knew that they had spoken since, most recently in October.

"Wait, what? You're here in DC? Is everything ok?" Unconsciously, Tony reached for Ziva's hand. She looked around. Outside of work, they were a couple, but they had kept it a secret at work. The last thing they needed was some gossip monger spreading news about them, or worse: telling Gibbs that they were spotted holding hands in the bullpen.

Still she didn't let go, sensing his tension. Apparently, Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. had a lot to say, because the only things that were coming out of Tony's mouth were, "Oh" and "Ok." Finally, after ten minutes, the call ended. Tony stared at his phone for a few minutes.

"Tony?" Ziva whispered, trying to be inconspicuous. He looked at her. "That was my Dad." Ziva gave him a look that said "really?" Instead she said, "Is everything alright? You look, worried."

"Well, any time my Dad is in town is a cause for worry." Tony shook his head. "He wants me to meet him tonight at his hotel, to discuss some 'family things.' I hope to hell he is not getting ready to tell me that I am getting another step-mother." The horror in Tony's face caused Ziva some amusement, but she also knew what hell he went through after his mother had died. She squeezed his hand. "Should I come? Perhaps that was presumptuous…"

Tony looked at her. "I would feel tons better if you were there. But he specifically asked me not to bring you." Ziva stepped back at that, not sure if she should be relieved or insulted. "Did he say why?"

Tony shook his head. "Maybe he is owning up to some dirty family secrets that he is afraid would make you run for the hills." Tony shrugged.

Ziva smiled. "So what time are you meeting?"

Tony looked at his watch. "In three hours. I wonder if Gibbs will let me head out early." He didn't want to say that he wanted to see if he could get an emergency session with the psychiatrist before this meeting, but Ziva understood.

"Go. I will handle Gibbs." Tony looked around, and then gave Ziva a quick kiss on the lips. "If it's not too late, I'll call you later." Ziva shook her head. "You will not need to call." Tony knew what that meant. "What would I do without you?"

Ten minutes after Tony left, Gibbs came strolling in to the bullpen. "Where's DiNozzo?" Ziva looked up, ready to do battle if necessary. "His father called…he is in town." Gibbs looked up at that. "Well, I guess that's enough to make Tony make a run for it. Is anything wrong?"

"Tony didn't really say, but I think he needed to see someone first before he saw his father." She looked at Gibbs significantly, providing no further explanation.

Gibbs looked at her, then nodded. "Make sure he is ok, Ziva."

"Always." She murmured.

_**Ok, there's your segue into Chapter Two, based on the spoiler that Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. will "resurface right around Christmas in a holiday episode." Hope you enjoyed it. Please review and let me know what you thought.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Ten minutes after Tony left, Gibbs came strolling in to the bullpen. "Where's DiNozzo?" Ziva looked up, ready to do battle if necessary. "His father called…he is in town." Gibbs looked up at that. "Well, I guess that's enough to make Tony make a run for it. Is anything wrong?"**_

"_**Tony didn't really say, but I think he needed to see someone first before he saw his father." She looked at Gibbs significantly, providing no further explanation.**_

_**Gibbs looked at her, then nodded. "Make sure he is ok, Ziva."**_

"_**Always." She murmured.**_

This Vignette is based on an early spoiler in which it states that "Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. will resurface right around Christmas, in a holiday episode."

Vignette Two: "A Very DiNozzo Christmas- Part One"

Tony stood outside the Adams Hotel for a good ten minutes before he finally got the nerve to go inside. He walked up to the concierge desk.

"Yes sir, may I help you?"

"_You can help me get out of here."_ Tony thought to himself. He looked at the young man standing behind the desk. "Yes, thank you. I am meeting Anthony DiNozzo here. He said he would meet me…"

"Junior!" Tony didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. Standing ten paces away was his father. Inwardly, he was glad he was alone. But he still felt uneasy. Something was definitely going on.

Anthony, Sr. came up to his son and looked at him. "You look better than the last time I saw you. The dark circles under your eyes are gone. You look, almost at peace, except for the fact that you are here with me." Tony looked confused. Suddenly, his dad embraced him.

Tony awkwardly patted his shoulders. "Ok, Dad. That's enough. What is this about? You are really freaking me out."

Anthony, Sr. regarded his son for a few moments. "Let's go upstairs to my room. I'll explain everything once we are settled in."

"I'm not planning to spend the night, Dad." Tony snapped.

"Sorry, Jr., I was using the wrong terminology. Get comfortable? Sit in a chair? Is that better?" Tony felt a pang of embarrassment. He had no idea what the hell was going on, but on some level, he sensed his father was trying to have a serious conversation with him, and he wasn't helping by making snarky remarks.

Tony waved his arm forward. "Sorry, your call just, caught me off guard. After you." Together they entered the elevator. "How is Ziva? I miss seeing her." Sr. smiled at his son, as the elevator doors closed.

Once they were in his room, Tony wandered around aimlessly, picking up objects, and then just as quickly putting them down. His Father had gone into the bedroom. Suddenly, he reappeared, pulling a luggage cart.

On the cart was a large metal box that reminded Tony of a safety deposit box. The other box was almost as large, but clearly made out of a fine, expensive wood. An elegant lock was on the top, an intricate key already in place.

Tony rushed over to help his Dad when he realized he was trying to put them on the work table. Both boxes were rather heavy. Tony looked at his father, confused.

"Dad, what is all this?"

"It's your legacy, son."

Tony looked at his Dad, stunned. "Need a drink?" Tony shook his head silently.

"First of all," Anthony, Sr., began. "I take full responsibility for this. You should have been made aware, well, should have known about this, a long time ago. At first I wasn't able to deal with it. Then we went through that bad patch…"

Tony looked at his dad. "That bad patch. Do you mean the one that lasted twenty years?"

Anthony, Sr. had the grace to look abashed. "Yes, that would be the one. Anyway, then you had all sorts of weird things going on in your life."

"Wait a minute. Define 'weird'." Tony was getting annoyed.

"Ok, maybe weird wasn't the right term. Confused? Unsure of how your life should be going? And then, of' course, that horrendous act of terrorism against you and your co-workers."

Tony finally gave up trying to figure out where his Dad was going with all of this. "Ok, let me get this straight. You have something that belongs to me, but you never felt I was ready to get it or able to handle it until now. Is that an accurate summary?"

"That's why you're in the business you are in, Tony, and why you are so good at it. Yes, that pretty much sums it up. I'm not saying this is still not going to be difficult for you, but, well…it's time."

Anthony, Sr. sat down at the table, so Tony followed suit. Sr. opened the large metal box first and pulled out multiple documents, and handed them to Tony. At the top of the first document it stated: "The Estate of Margaret Paddington DiNozzo."

He scanned them briefly, but looked confused. "Dad, what am I looking at here?"

Anthony, Sr., sighed, and for a moment, and though he was sure he was mistaken, Tony thought he wiped his eyes. "Son, these are your inheritance documents…from your mother."

Tony and his Dad spent the next three hours going through the myriad of documents that his mother had compiled. She had significant stock holdings, she had property in England, and she had set up a trust fund for Tony when he had been born. As he had been her only child, all inheritance from her parents when they died that would have gone to her, went into his trust fund, as she had predeceased her parents.

Tony looked overwhelmed. "Dad, why didn't you give this to me when I became of age?" He didn't ask in anger, mostly out of curiosity.

"To be honest, and you probably won't believe this; but I was devastated when your mother died."

"Dad, why would you think that I wouldn't believe that?"

Sr. shrugged. "My behavior over the years has left a lot to be desired. I am never sure what you remember from before, all the craziness happened."

Tony nodded, indicting his father to continue. "Anyway, I just lost the love of my life, I had a small son. I went into denial. And that included talking to any lawyers. I had her things locked up in a safe deposit box, until I was ready to deal with it."

"The thing is I never was ready. Then, and I know you are going to find this hard to believe, but I actually forgot about it. This in retrospect is a very good thing. Otherwise, I probably would have spent every dime of this."

Tony frowned. "I thought it was left to me?"

His Dad cleared his throat. "You were, _are_, the legal heir. But as a minor, as your father I was the executor and holder of the estate until you became of age."

Tony accepted that. "What made you remember?" Tony asked.

"The original lawyer passed away and the firm notified me to ask me if I wanted to continue to let the firm handle things or take it to my own lawyer. I felt like I had been kicked in the gut." Tony quietly got up and poured his Dad a scotch. After thinking about it for about five seconds, he poured himself one as well.

"Thanks." His Dad looked up and smiled. "And the strange thing is it's almost like this was exactly the right time for this to happen."

Tony frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it Jr. If you got all this money at the age of 30, you would have bought a Ferrari and blown it all within one year. Things are different now, you are different.

"_That's an understatement."_ Tony thought to himself. "So what do you think would be a responsible thing for me to buy now?" Tony was really curious what his Dad considered "responsible."

"Do you want the truth?"

Tony looked surprised. "Of' course I want the truth."

"Well, there's nothing wrong with buying yourself a car if you really need one, but I would spend it on something permanent."

"You want me to buy something permanent." Tony echoed. "Care to elaborate?"

"I don't know, maybe something permanent, like a home."

Tony opened his mouth, but nothing came out. "Uh, huh." His father replied. He pulled the large wooden box over. "There's more."

Tony was feeling lightheaded. "More?"

"This box contains all of your mother's jewelry, which is now yours. Many of the items in here are family heirlooms, handed down through her family." Anthony, Sr. pulled out several velvet boxes until he found the one he was looking for.

"For example…" He silently handed it to Tony, who took it hesitantly. "Open it." His father encouraged.

Taking a deep breath, Tony opened the small jeweler's box. What he saw inside took his breath away. Surrounded by satin, a large solitaire diamond in a platinum setting was nestled inside. On either side of the solitaire were emerald cut sapphires. The ring was exquisite, clearly very valuable, and custom made. Tony looked up at his dad. "Dad, did you…?"

"Give this to your mother? Yes, but I can make no claim to it. The ring belonged to her mother, and to her mother's mother before her. If we had had a daughter, she would have been given this ring. This ring is now yours to give to…" Tony looked up his father. "To give to the love of your life when you are ready to make that commitment."

Tony looked at the ring a few seconds longer, then carefully closed the box. "Here." His father shoved another box toward him. "This is a piece of family jewelry that I would like you to take now. Not that you don't get to take all of this now, but I think it would make a very lovely Christmas gift for a very lovely young lady."

"Dad." Tony warned. "Don't give me that, Tony. You know you are going to give her something."

Tony sighed and opened the second box. Inside was a set of pearl earrings, set on platinum posts with diamond accents. While Tony was sure that these earrings were not by any means inexpensive, they also weren't in the same category as the engagement ring. As much as he hated to admit it, his Dad was right. It was a perfect gift and Ziva would love them.

Sr. cleared his throat. "There is another gift I gave your mother and if it is alright with you, I would like to have it…to give as a Christmas gift for someone special to me."

Tony's eyes narrowed. "You want a piece of my mother's family jewelry to give to some…woman?" He had trouble keeping the disgust out of his voice.

"Easy, Anthony. First of all, that piece of jewelry is not part of your mother's family. I bought it for her. And while it really is no business of yours who I give it to, since the jewelry really belongs to you, I guess I can give you 'something' that may calm you down."

Tony looked at his Dad. "Well?"

Sr. flashed his charming smile. "I am not giving it as a Christmas gift to some new, or old, lady friend. It is for someone very special to me, and I think when you see who it is for, you will understand and I hope be pleased."

"And when exactly will I see who it is for?"

"When I decide, Tony. When I decide."

Tony sighed, not entirely happy, but aware he wasn't going to get anything more than that. "Can I at least see what it is you are talking about?"

Sr. slid a slightly larger velvet box toward his son. "I see you already had it pulled aside." Tony quipped. Taking the box, he carefully opened it. Inside was a bracelet. A pearl bracelet with diamond accents. It looked to be an exact match to…

"Yes, it matches the earring I just forced you to give to Ziva."

Tony ignored the "forced." "I thought you said this wasn't part of the family collection?"

"It isn't. Those earrings were given to your mother by her parents to wear at our wedding. They were her favorite. For our first anniversary, I had this bracelet made to match them. My Meg…she was my beautiful, precious pearl. This has a lot of good memories for me, Tony."

"Meg." Tony murmured. "I don't remember you calling Mom that."

Sr. chuckled. "It was my private nickname for her. Her parents were, well I guess the best way to say it is that they were straight laced and very, very correct. She was always referred to as 'Margaret' and you were 'Anthony.'" He took a deep breath.

"So Meg and Tony were only between the two of us when we were private, and that even meant when we were not in front of you. You were a little blabber-mouth when you were little. We had to be very careful what we said in front of you." Sr. was laughing at the memory.

Tony laughed too. "I have no memory of that either. Ok, Dad. Take it. Just let me know what you do with it, ok? It belonged to my mother. It matters to me who the next owner will be."

Sr. put his hand on his son's shoulder. "I can promise you that you will be the second person to know."

**Tony's apartment**

It was almost 10:30pm by the time Tony finally let himself into his apartment. He smiled when he realized Ziva was on his sofa, sitting up waiting for him.

As soon as he walked in, she came over to him and wrapped her arms around him. She had no idea if this meeting with his father had been good or bad, but felt she couldn't go wrong either way. Besides, she really liked having his arms around her.

Tony kissed her softly, and pressed his forehead against hers. "Everything ok?" She asked softly.

"Everything's…weird." Seeing her confused expression, he grabbed her hand and led her back to the sofa.

"Do you want something to drink?" Ziva stroked his cheek. "There is some wine."

"I had a scotch with my Dad but yeah, I think a drink would be a good idea." Ziva started to get up, but he put his hand on her leg. "I've been sitting for three hours; let me get this."

Ziva watched him as he retrieved two glasses from the cupboard, and then poured generous portions into each. Walking slowly back toward his...This stopped Tony. His what?

They never bothered to name what their relationship was. She was still certainly his friend, his best friend. His lover? Well, that was true as well, but sounded kind of tawdry. His girlfriend? That was also true, but sounded so high school.

His everything? Now that really sounded like the title of a really bad movie. Tony suddenly shivered. He knew exactly what Ziva was to him and it suddenly scared him to pieces, especially if she didn't feel the same.

"Hey, are you ok?" Ziva's voice brought him to the present. "Yeah, sorry. Brain is just a little on overload at the moment." He quickly closed the distance between them and sat back down on the sofa.

"For you." He handed her the glass. To her surprise, he held his up, as if giving a toast. "Tonight shed a lot of light on some things, and revealed some things I never knew. Here's to hoping, and I really mean hoping, that something very good will come from all of this."

They clinked glasses and took a sip of their wine. Ziva regarded him silently. "That was very cryptic. I know it is late. If you would like to talk about it some other time…"

Tony surprised her by grabbing her hand. "My father just gave me my inheritance from my mother."

Ziva's breath caught in her throat. "Oh, Tony. That must have been very difficult for you…and I imagine your father."

Tony took a generous swallow of his wine. "It's a lot to process. She left me quite a bit, a lot for me to still go through. Everything's in a safe deposit box at the hotel, but tomorrow I am going to have to go get it and take it to my lawyer. There's a lot of paper work that I don't quite understand."

Ziva nodded her understanding. "I told Gibbs your father called and insisted that you meet. So I am sure he will understand why you will find it necessary to need to stay home from work tomorrow."

Tony smiled, draped his arm across her shoulders and nuzzled her neck. "Do you think he will understand why you also need to stay home from work tomorrow?" Ziva laughed. "Well, I don't know about that, although he did tell me to make sure you were ok."

Tony sat up a little straighter. "He did? Do you think he's on to us?"

Ziva frowned. "Not at the time he said it, but now that you say it, I am not sure. If he is, he hasn't made any effort to keep us apart."

Tony considered that. "Well, I think we've done a pretty good job of keeping it out of the office." He eyed Ziva, his eyes soft and dreamy. "But we aren't at the office now, are we?"

"Mmmmm, no we are not." Ziva put her glass down and kissed Tony deeply. Tony followed suit and in less than five minutes they were in his bed, clothes abandoned on the floor, lost in each other.

_**This Christmas story has taken on a life of its own, so it is now in two parts. I think it is clear from the most recent episodes that Tony and his Dad are trying to figure out how to have a relationship, I am writing it to that effect. Thanks for the support and reviews. They are very much appreciated.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Tony sat up a little straighter. "He did? Do you think he's on to us?"**_

_**Ziva frowned. "Not at the time he said it, but now that you say it, I am not sure. If he is, he hasn't made any effort to keep us apart."**_

_**Tony considered that. "Well, I think we've done a pretty good job of keeping it out of the office." He eyed Ziva, his eyes soft and dreamy. "But we aren't at the office now, are we?"**_

"_**Mmmmm, no we are not." Ziva put her glass down and kissed Tony deeply. Tony followed suit and in less than five minutes they were in his bed, clothes abandoned on the floor, lost in each other.**_

Vignette Two: "A Very DiNozzo Christmas- Part Two"

**Christmas Eve**

Much to the surprise of everyone on the team, Ducky insisted that everyone come to his town home in Georgetown for Christmas Eve. Ducky was not yet 100% after his near-fatal heart attack, and was only still part-time at NCIS.

After discussing it among themselves, they all felt they needed to be there. They were worried that Ducky was thinking that perhaps this would be his "last" Christmas with his friends. Even though none of them believed it be true, they were determined to make it special and memorable.

Ducky insisted on having the party catered, although Ziva, Abby and Breena talked him into letting them make the desserts.

Much to Tony's surprise and dismay, his father informed him that he planned to return to DC at Christmas, since they hadn't spent that holiday together in so many years he couldn't remember. Tony appreciated his Dad's sudden nostalgia, considering what they had just gone through, but this was also his and Ziva's first Christmas as a couple.

"I won't get in the way, Jr. I'll stay in a hotel; maybe spend some time spreading holiday cheer, hand out a few presents."

"Dad, you don't need to give out any presents. Really. It's fine that you want to come. We'll figure out the logistics." Tony sighed.

As soon as Ducky heard the news, he insisted that Tony bring his father to their party. Tony wasn't sure. "It's for us, Ducky. The Team. He…he will try to monopolize everything."

"Ah, no worries on that respect. I can assure you that _I_ will monopolize everything! Besides, Abby is bringing her brother Kyle and his family. Her other brother is spending Christmas with his wife's family. And Breena is bringing her mother. I know you heard about her father."

Tony lost his smile. Just two months after Jimmy and Breena's wedding, her father had been diagnosed with cancer. Within three months, he was gone.

"Thanks, Ducky. You always know how to get our heads on straight."

"That, my dear Anthony, is because you look quite ridiculous with a crooked head." Tony laughed heartily at that.

Keeping his word, Anthony, Sr. stayed at the Adams Hotel, his old mainstay. Ducky could be quite formal, and true to form he did ask that everyone dress "nicely" for the party. Tony was used to wearing suits, so it didn't matter to him one way or the other.

Ziva, on the other hand, was at a loss as to what to wear. "Wear that dress you wore on the stakeout for Palmer's bachelor's party." Tony suggested.

Ziva looked appalled. "Tony, that was just a shade below being a hooker's dress. I want to look good, but I do not want to look like a foozy."

"Floozy." Tony corrected her. "And that would never be possible. What about that blue wrappy thing you wore when we went out to dinner a few weeks back?"

Ziva's eyes widened. "That is the perfect dress. I had forgotten about it." She kissed him. "Thank you."

He kissed her back. "Thank you for what?" She just smiled. "I will be ready shortly, then we can go pick up your father." She disappeared into her bedroom.

While she was getting dressed, Tony pulled out the small wrapped box. He had decided to give her the present tonight, wanting it to be just the two of them, and not his father hanging over them, offering his advice.

They had decided they would stay together tonight, and the coin toss went to Ziva's apartment. It was closer to Ducky's house, but just a little further away from the Adams, which they didn't mind.

As Tony's mind was running wild with all sorts of high jinx his Dad could get into tonight, Ziva appeared from the bedroom. The dress was just as beautiful as he had remembered. The blue was a dark shade of sapphire and he couldn't help but think how beautiful his mother's engagement ring would look with that dress. But that was for another time.

Ziva always wore simple jewelry. As usual, she had her Star of David necklace on. She wore a simple pearl ring that he wasn't sure he had seen before. She usually wore a sturdy efficient watch, but tonight her wrists were bare. But she was fussing about her earrings, looking at several pair in her hands.

"I just can't decide which ones to wear, Tony. I have to wear something. Otherwise, the dress looks incomplete."

Tony had never seen Ziva so worked up over her wardrobe before, but saw his opening. He took her hand and led her over to the sofa.

"I know Christmas is tomorrow, but with my Dad here, and well, who knows what he has planned, I thought I would give you your gift tonight, if that is ok."

Ziva smiled at Tony. "I will be right back!" Suddenly, she got up and he could swear, _sauntered_ into her bedroom. She returned about thirty seconds later with a wrapped gift in her hands.

"Oh, Ziva. You didn't have to get me anything." Tony protested. Ziva cocked an eyebrow at him. "Ok, you can see right through me." He laughed and gave that big DiNozzo grin. "Who wants to go first?"

"I will." Ziva said, surprising Tony. "I wanted to give you something that was part of me, that whenever you look at it, you will know its history without even struggling to remember." She handed him the gift. "I am not sure that it is something that you can actually use, I mean, has a function. I am not sure it has any intrinsic value, but to me it is priceless."

She nodded to Tony, indicating he should open it. Tony was embarrassed to find that his fingers were fumbling at the wrapping. Finally, the paper gave way, revealing an old carved wooden box.

"It's beautiful, Ziva." Tony said, studying it.

Ziva smiled, amused. "Yes, the box is beautiful, but the gift is inside."

Tony looked at Ziva, giving her that "are you playing tricks on me?" look.

Slowly, Tony opened the lid. Inside was a heavy gold pocket watch. The designs on it were intricate and unique. On the inside, there was an engraving in Hebrew." He looked at Ziva.

"It belonged to my mother's grandfather. He was quite a wealthy businessman, not in Mossad." She smiled. "I never knew him, but my grandmother used to tell me these amazing stories about him. I was given this when my mother was…when she died." Tony reached for her hand.

"I was told that I should give it to the one person I knew would always take care of me, who would protect me even at the risk of his own life, and would never willingly leave me, or our family. I have never felt compelled to give this to anyone; until now."

Tony wrapped his arms tightly around Ziva, not wanting her to see how overwhelmed he was by, not only this gift, but this admission from her. He buried his head in her shoulder and she rubbed his neck, soothing him, knowing how moved he was by her gift. She knew there was no turning back now.

Finally gaining his composure, he sat back up. "Does it work?" Ziva shook her head. "I do not know, but we can take to it a jeweler to see."

He kissed her deeply. "Thank you. This is the second most wonderful gift I have ever received."

Ziva looked surprised. "And what was the first most wonderful gift you have ever received? And please do not tell me it was losing your virginity."

Tony had to laugh at that, but he immediately became somber. "Realizing that you were not dead after all." He whispered. Against her will, tears formed in Ziva's eyes. She furiously wiped them away.

"So, am I to receive a gift? And please tell me it is not a movie." Ziva was trying to lighten the mood, and take the focus off of the past.

Tony grinned. "As a matter of fact, I do have a gift for you." He handed her the delicately wrapped box. Ziva smiled him and ripped off the paper. "Ok, she doesn't waste time." Tony quipped.

When Ziva saw the small jeweler's box in her hand, she momentarily panicked. She had all but declared her love to Tony in the past ten minutes, but that didn't mean she could move any further this moment.

Tony sensed her tension and touched her cheek. "It's ok. Open it."

Taking a deep breath, Ziva open the box and gasped when she saw the earrings. She looked at Tony, stunned. "I…I don't know what to say."

"Say you love them and that you'll wear them tonight, because I think they will look great with your dress."

"Tony…" Ziva wanted to know. Tony nodded. "They belonged to my mother, her wedding present from her parents. I guess I wanted to give you something that was a part of me as well."

"I…I absolutely love them." Ziva carefully picked one up and placed it in her ear, then the other. When she was done, she faced Tony. "Well?"

"Absolutely beautiful. And the earrings look nice too."

Ziva blushed. "Thank you, Tony. I will cherish them always." She cupped his face and kissed him softly. Looking at the clock, she sighed. "We better go get your father."

Tony agreed reluctantly, not wanting their special moment to end. She allowed Tony to collect her wrap for her and drape it over her shoulders. As they were walking out the door, Tony remembered something. "Hey, there was some inscription in Hebrew on the inside of the watch. What does is say?"

Ziva looked at him and hesitated for only a moment. "You are the love of my life."

She quickly headed down the stairs before he could grab her and drag her back into the apartment.

Tony ran down the stairs after her, noticing she was studiously avoiding his gaze. When they finally got in the car, he couldn't stand it anymore and grabbed her hand, forcing her to look at him.

She smiled, kissed him tenderly on the lips, and said, "Later, my love."

Tony got one of the goofiest grins she had ever seen in her life on his face, and put the car in drive.

Fortunately, Tony's Dad was in the lobby ready to go by the time they arrived. "Ziva! You look absolutely stunning! What a pleasure to see you again." They embraced and kissed each other on their cheeks.

Tony saw his Dad's eyes widen as he caught sight of the earrings. To his shock, and pleasure he made no comment, just gave Tony a knowing look.

Tucking her arm into his, they left the hotel and headed toward Tony's car. "So, is my son treating you well?" Ziva chuckled and Tony shook his head.

**Georgetown **

By the time they arrived at Ducky's, the party was in full swing. "Yeah!" Abby rushed over to hug Ziva and Tony. "You're finally here." She suddenly noticed Tony's dad. "Anthony, Sr.! What a nice surprise! I didn't know you were coming." She punched Tony in the arm.

"Owww…what was that for?" Tony grimaced and rubbed his upper arm. Sr. took Abby's arm. "Abby, why don't you show me around?" He turned around and grinned at Tony as he walked away with Abby.

Tony leaned his forehead against one of the kitchen cabinets. "Ziva, how am I going to survive this?"

Ziva lightly tapped his cheek. "Your father is just teasing you, Tony. Just ignore him. He will settle down. Let's go find Ducky."

"You are amazing. What would I do without you?"

"Probably collapse in a heap like a whiney little five year old girl."

"Oh, hey, McScrooge. Thanks for the vote of confidence. Gibbs here yet?"

Tim jerked his head over his right shoulder. Gibbs was sitting on one of the counter stools, laughing with Ducky and Jimmy. Gibbs had needed to work more closely with Palmer after the bombing, as he had stepped in and stepped up to take over in Ducky's absence. The young man had proven himself in that time of crisis, and earned Gibbs' respect.

"Ah, there they are." Ducky's voice cut above the others. Tony and Ziva walked over to the counter where they were sitting. "Can I get you something to eat? Something to drink?"

Ziva kissed Ducky on both cheeks. "We are fine Ducky. Tony will probably graze all evening. When we need something, we can get it ourselves. Enjoy yourself!"

Breena was cutting up a cake that looked very complicated and sinful. Palmer had let it slip that she was an excellent baker, so the team were the happy recipients of many of her delicious creations.

"Is that what I think it is?" Ziva asked. Breena smiled conspiratorially. "Chocolate Insanity Cake with Cherry Cordial Death." Palmer took great pains to give her baked goods the most outrageous names he could come up with. Ziva chuckled. "Please make sure to hide a piece for me for later." They high-fived each other.

Breena stared at her for a minute. "Ziva! Your earrings are absolutely beautiful. Are they new?"

Ziva blushed. "Well, yes. New as in I just received them, but they actually belonged to…family." Ziva almost let it slip that they had been Tony's mothers. Breena smiled. She could read between the lines and knew that was a very interesting piece of information Ziva had just almost divulged. She couldn't wait to share it with Jimmy.

"Oh my, look at this." Ducky walked up to Tony and Ziva. "Tony, your father just gave me a hundred year old bottle of scotch. I can't possibly accept this, it, it is far too much!"

"Sure you can Ducky. Just make sure he doesn't drink it all for you tonight."

"Aw, yes, well then I guess I better find a safe place for this." Ducky wandered off.

"That was a surprise." Ziva said. Tony scanned the room, looking for his father. "Yes, it was." He spotted him on the sofa, talking to Abby and her brother Kyle and his family. He didn't look like he was up to any sort of shenanigans, so Tony relaxed and made a note to himself to discuss the matter with him later.

After about an hour, Gibbs gave his famous whistle, which could wake the dead. "I am not one to give speeches, so don't expect one now. All I want to say is that I have the best damn team at NCIS and I am proud of each and every one of you." He was silent for a few seconds. "And I am the happiest man alive that we are all here together tonight…" Gibbs couldn't finish. He took a sip of his bourbon.

"If it's ok with everyone else, I would like to see Tony, Ziva, Tim and Abby privately for a few minutes." With that, he headed toward Ducky's library. The four looked at each other, surprised. Tim fell into step with Abby.

"What do you think is going on, Abbs?" "I have absolutely no idea. But I hope he's not telling us he's retiring."

Tim turned quickly at that. "He wouldn't ruin our Christmas by doing that, would he? I mean…he couldn't do that. Could he?"

Once they all entered the library, Gibbs closed the door, and faced his team. "I just want to say again how proud I am of each and every one of you. It has been my pleasure and privilege to lead such a talented group of agents."

"Oh, God, you are retiring!" Abby burst out. That got everyone's attention. As one, they all first looked at Abby then slowly back at Gibbs.

Gibbs walked up to Abby and hugged her. "I am not retiring, Abby. At least, not today. Someday I will, it's inevitable. But I'm not ready to go yet, if that's ok with you…" Everyone babbled at once their affirmative that Gibbs should never leave.

He held up his hand. "Ok, don't make me head slap each of you." He turned serious. "This past year has been hell, and I think that is putting it mildly. Despite everything we have all been put though, we have come out stronger, and closer than ever. You aren't just my team; you are my family. And while some rules are necessary to keep things running smoothly, if I have learned anything this year it is that no one person has the right to tell another how they are to live their personal lives."

He walked over to some little bags that the others had not noted before. "I want you to have these, to wear these; as a constant reminder of what is important, on what you need to always focus on." He handed out the bags, their names on the outside.

Tony, Ziva, Tim and Abby all stood there looking at Gibbs, holding their bags. Tony cleared his throat. "Why don't the ladies go first?"

Ziva looked at him, then at Abby. Together, they reached into their bags and pulled out a velvet drawstring bag. They opened them up and looked inside. They each pulled out a bracelet. The band was made of some sort leather, or suede. The clasp was gold. Attached to the straps of the band was a gold bar, engraved.

Once the girls opened their bags, Tony and Tim dug into theirs as well, pulling out the same bracelet, with silver accents. "I know you two will probably put up a fuss about me giving you something like this, but I have one as well." Gibbs held up his right arm, showing leather and silver on his wrist."

Ziva looked at the inscription. "Love and Family"

"It's beautiful, Gibbs. I will cherish it always."

Gibbs smiled. "I think you will cherish it more when you read what's on the other side." At that, all four of them turned their bracelets over. A collective gasp came from the group, then four sets of eyes looked at Gibbs, wanting confirmation that what they were reading meant what they thought it did.

"There are no rules."

_**Early Merry Christmas! This is something I would really like to see Gibbs do as an aftermath of the explosion. Unfortunately, I am not a writer for the show, so I am not holding my breath. As I said before, this story has taken a life on its own and has one more part. **_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Once the girls opened their bags, Tony and Tim dug into theirs as well, pulling out the same bracelet, with silver accents. "I know you two will probably put up a fuss about me giving you something like this, but I have one as well." Gibbs held up his right arm, showing leather and silver on his wrist."**_

_**Ziva looked at the inscription. "Love and Family"**_

"_**It's beautiful, Gibbs. I will cherish it always." **_

_**Gibbs smiled. "I think you will cherish it more when you read what's on the other side." At that, all four of them turned their bracelets over. A collective gasp came from the group, then four sets of eyes looked at Gibbs, wanting confirmation that what they were reading meant what they thought it did.**_

"_**There are no rules."**_

Vignette Two: "A Very DiNozzo Christmas- Part Three"

Ziva and Abby both ran to Gibbs and smothered him in hugs. Gibbs placed a kiss on each of their cheeks. "I want my girls to be happy. Who am I to say who you can or cannot be with?"

He smiled at Ziva and looked at Tony. "Looks like you already got some jewelry, Ziver." Ziva reached up to her earrings, smiling.

Gibbs walked over to Tony. "Two cups. Keep them full. I know you can do it." Tony shook his hand. "Thanks Boss."

Gibbs turned to McGee. "I never worried about you Tim. You are the only level-headed person in this motley group. But things can change, events can bring people together." Tim found himself glancing at Abby. Gibbs smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Hey boss, who's that other bag for?" Tony pointed to the lone bag still sitting on the desk.

"For Duck, who do you think? Haven't you noticed how he perks up when that new woman in legal walks through the bullpen?"

Tony looked shocked. "No, I never noticed that. Did you?" He asked Ziva. Ziva looked just as surprised. "I guess my attention was elsewhere."

McGee coughed at that, and Abby snickered. "Ok, that's all I wanted to say. Let's get back before Duck starts singing some obscure Scottish folk song." They all laughed at that. Slowly, they all left the library, somewhat reluctant to end the moment they had all just shared. Just as they were leaving the room, Tony turned to Ziva. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her deeply. Seeing her smile, he took her hand in his, proudly walking out together as one.

Tony and Ziva entering the room holding hands were picked up first my Ducky. "At last! You two have finally come to your senses!" He turned to Gibbs. "Or perhaps it is _you_ who was the one to come to his senses." Gibbs smiled at his long-time friend, but didn't take the bait.

The commotion immediately caused Abby to rush over to them. "I knew it, I knew! How could you keep this from me? Come on, let me see it!" Ziva and Tony looked at each other, confused. "See what, Abby?"

"Oh you!" Abby grabbed Ziva's left hand. "Oh…" She looked up, slightly embarrassed, but mostly sad. Ziva pulled her hand away, not exactly embarrassed but a little uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry; I just thought, after all this time, that, well you know, maybe…"

Ziva managed a small laugh. "Abby, it has only been since May."

Abby looked at them with shock in her eyes. She placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "Ziva, Tony: It has only been eight years." With that, she returned to where her brother was talking to Tim.

They both watched her leave, their mouths slightly open in surprise. Then Tony started to chuckle. "Well, you have to admit, she is kind of right. Our relationship started the minute we met."

Ziva smiled, remembering when they met. Tony was scanning the room. "Hey, where's my Dad?" He had trouble keeping the panic out of his voice. They both looked around. Finally, Ziva touched his arm and pointed to the piano. His Dad was seated on the bench, playing Christmas carols. Singing along were Breena, Ducky, Jimmy and Breena's mother, Barbara.

"Well, that's a Kodak moment." Tony mumbled.

"I did not know your father also played."

Tony looked at her. "Ziva, my Dad is a very complicated man. Just when you think you know everything you possibly can about him, BAM! He reveals something new."

"Like Father like Son?" Ziva asked, her eyebrows rose. Tony shook his head. "I don't think I am as complicated as he is. Challenging, perhaps." He looked seriously at Ziva. "Do you think you are really up to this challenge?" He wanted to make sure she knew exactly what she was getting into. As much as it scared him to ask that question, he felt he had no choice.

Ziva searched his eyes. "Am I not also challenging, more than most? Really, Tony after eight years? How can you even ask?" She kissed him deeply, wrapping her arms around his waist. Tony's hands automatically grabbed her hair and soon they were so wrapped up in each other, they forgot where they were.

Only the wolf whistles and clapping got their attention and caused them to look around, their lips still attached to one another.  
"Get a room!" Tim yelled out, causing the room to erupt in laughter.

Tony and Ziva reluctantly broke apart, although their arms were still around each other's waist. Neither looked embarrassed, though their faces were slightly flushed. Tony searched out Gibbs, wondering what his response was.

Gibbs just rolled his eyes. He shrugged. "Keep it out of the office, DiNozzo, David. Other than that, have fun; just not in front of us."

The party broke up at midnight, ringing in Christmas together as a group. Slowly, the revelers made their way home. Tony went and collected his Dad, who was having a spirited conversation with Ducky about golfing. "Time to head out, Dad. You may be still going strong, but Ziva and I would like…"

"No need to finish that thought, son." Anthony, Sr. responded, a devilish glint in his eye. "Tomorrow, Christmas Brunch at your apartment, your 'less than permanent domicile.' I already have everything we need."

Tony shook his head. His Dad constantly arranged things to accommodate what he wanted to do. They said their goodbyes to Ducky and headed out. Tony walked his Dad into the hotel lobby.

"I can make it from here, Jr. Only had one drink. By the way, the earrings look absolutely beautiful on Ziva."

Tony smiled. "Goodnight, Dad. What time do you want us to pick you up?"

Sr. grinned. "Is nine too early?" Tony groaned, but shook his head. "Nine it is. See you in the morning."

"Merry Christmas, son." Tony stopped and turned around. "Merry Christmas, Dad." He left the hotel lobby and returned to the car, and Ziva.

She caressed his cheek. "You are smiling. Things are good with your father?"

"They are today, Ziva. They are today."

**Christmas Morning**

Tony woke up to something pulling on his hair. He started to wipe it away, but once he realized it was a hand, he grabbed it and turned on his side. "Good morning, sweetheart." He smiled as he kissed her.

"Sweetheart? You have never called me that before." Ziva teased him.

"That's because I never felt like I had the right to before." He paused for second. "I do have that right now, don't I?" He looked a little worried."

"I will let you know if you do anything I do not feel you have the…right to." She sat up. "But do not call me "Sweetcheeks. That is used during ops, and therefore means nothing. Did you know that McGee called me Sweetcheeks once?"

Tony sat up at that. "He did not! When?"

Ziva laughed. "Oh, it was the first year we worked together. He was trying to get my attention and 'Ziva' was not working so he called me 'Sweetcheeks'. I am sure he remembered it from when we were undercover. It meant nothing then, and it means nothing now."

She straddled him. "Now, 'Hairy Butt' on the other hand; that does mean something because it is true." She laid a trail of kisses down his throat, ending at his stomach.

"You're not stopping there, are you?" Tony's voice was a low growl. Ziva looked at him, then gave him a deep kiss on the lips. "Yes, my little hairy butt, because we need to go get your father."

Tony moaned. "Dad! What time is it, anyway?"

Ziva looked at the alarm clock. "It is 7:30. We have to time to shower and get ready to be there by 9."

Tony grinned. "We can save time by showering together." Ziva laughed at the hopeful look on his face.

"I doubt that, but I will let you join me anyway." She got up in one fluid motion and headed toward the bathroom. She turned and looked at him. "Are you coming?"

Tony jumped out of bed as if a jolt of electricity had just gone through him. Ziva laughed.

Finally dressed and ready to go, Tony handed Ziva her new earrings. "Wear these. My Dad will appreciate it." Ziva looked at Tony, smiling softly. She took them from his hand and placed them in her ears. Together, they put their new bracelets on each other's wrist. Holding hands, they left Ziva's apartment and headed to the Adams Hotel.

Tony went into the lobby to find his Dad sitting comfortably in one of the chairs, surrounded by bags. "What in the hell is all this?"

"Good morning to you, too, Jr. Brunch! Help me with these, won't you?" Tony groaned as he picked up several of the bags. "What have you got in these? Rocks?"

"Where's Ziva?" Sr. asked as he sauntered out of the lobby, carrying one small bag. "You know damn well where she is. She's in the car, waiting for us, which will be in about an hour considering how much this stuff weighs."

"Ziva!" Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. opened his arms as he saw Ziva get out of the car, clearly expecting her to give him a hug. He was not disappointed. "You just saw me last night!" She teased him. She looked over at Tony, alarmed. "What is all that?"

"Brunch." Tony muttered through gritted teeth. Stifling a laugh, she went over to him and relieved him of a couple of the bags.

"Thank you!" He breathed a sigh of relief. They quickly loaded the bags into the trunk of the car.

"Everybody comfy?" Tony asked. Ziva was struggling to maintain her composure. His Dad was in the back seat, enjoying being chauffeured around. Twenty minutes later, they were parked in front of Tony's apartment building.

"Thank God I don't live more than two flights up." Tony muttered to Ziva. "We can always make more than one trip, if this is…too much." Ziva offered sweetly.

Tony looked at Ziva in alarm. "Are you challenging my manhood, David?" Ziva eyed him up and down. "I most definitely am not."

Tony almost dropped the bags he was carrying, but managed to get to his front door. "Keys, front pocket." Ziva smirked and reach inside his pocket to retrieve the keys. She slowly withdrew them, looking deeply into Tony's eyes the entire time.

"Miss David, I do not know what you are playing at, but all I can say is...you are doing a damn fine job at it." He gave her a quick kiss, before she unlocked the door and he stumbled in with his packages.

"You can just put those in the kitchen. I will go through them." Sr. said. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Ziva asked.

"You should take her up on it, Dad. Ziva is an amazing cook."

Sr. looked at Ziva with a sparkle in his eye. "Really? Well, I may take you up on that offer. But first I have some preparations to make."

Ziva looked at Tony, amused. He just shrugged, indicating this was just another day in the DiNozzo household.

Tony went into his bedroom, and tossed his bag on the bed. He would figure out doing laundry later. He looked around. He made sure before he left for Ziva's that his place was clean and worthy of Ziva staying there overnight. "Tony!" His Dad's voice interrupted his musings.

He walked out into the living room, to see his Dad and Ziva standing there. His Dad handed him a large glass with a bubbly orange liquid inside. Tony smiled. "Ah yes. How could I have forgotten the Mimosa's?"

Taking the glass from his father, he turned to Ziva, who was holding a glass but was clearly confused what it was, and why they were drinking alcohol at 10am. "Mimosa's are a delightful mixture of orange juice, champagne and some other sweet liqueur. In our family, it is Grand Marnier, though many use Triple Sec."

"It's a traditional Christmas Brunch drink for our family, but it is served at every restaurant brunch I have ever been to. Clearly, you can't do this every morning, which makes it all the more special."

Tony looked at his drink. "I don't remember the last time I had one of these." Ziva smiled at him. "Well, I have never had one, so this will be a new tradition that I have learned." Tony put his hand around her waist.

"A toast!" Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. raised his glass. "Here's to remembering those who cannot be with us, to the wonderful memories of things we used to share, and to creating new wonderful memories to talk about many years from now. Oh, and may this be the first of many more toasts to come!" He winked at Tony, making sure he understood his meaning.

Tony felt his eyes smart when he realized his Dad was talking about his mother and his future with Ziva. He agreed with every sentiment his Dad just expressed; he just hoped his honest and hopeful words did not scare Ziva too much.

He looked at her and was surprised to see her eyes glistening as well. Of'course, she had lost far more family than he had, and she was probably remembering them as well. He tightened his hold on her waist, giving it a little squeeze. She turned to him, looking at his face, reading his thoughts and knowing he knew what she was thinking.

"Here! Here!" Sr. finished his toast, the last few moments that Tony and Ziva experienced lasting only seconds, though it felt like a lifetime. As one, they raised their glasses. Tony and his Dad took healthy sips, while Ziva sampled the drink carefully. Smiling in surprise, she turned to them. "This is delicious! Although I can see that you would not want to drink this as your usual morning beverage." She took a braver sip the second time. "How many of these can you drink before…"

"You pass out?" Tony laughed. Sr. looked at Tony. "Looks like we got a convert, Jr." He clinked Ziva's glass. "Welcome to the club, Ziva." Ziva laughed. "You still did not answer my question."

Tony considered it. "The way my Dad makes them? I wouldn't recommend more than two if you want to maintain your faculties. If I can get him to cut the alcohol, you can probably manage three, maybe four. I'll cut you off before you start doing anything embarrassing."

"Oh, thank you, Tony. I am not interested in losing my faculties or doing anything embarrassing, but I can certainly entertain the thought of having one more of these drinks."

Three hours later, the three sat or rather, slouched on the sofa. "I do not think I have ever eaten as much food as I have this morning." Ziva mumbled. Sr. let her make the Eggs Benedict. Tony sliced up the various fruits and cheeses. Sr. served up the smoked salmon, which Ziva enjoyed as lox and bagels. There was caviar, various breads and rolls, a decadent pecan chocolate cake and so many other dishes that they could have fed an army.

Tony had his head resting on Ziva's shoulder. "Between last night and today, I don't think I am going to eat for another week." Sr. sat up. "What are you talking about? Dinner is at seven!" At that, Tony and Ziva groaned.

Sr. laughed. "Well, if I can't get you interested in food right now, maybe a little Christmas cheer will perk you up."

"Isn't that what we've been doing? Spreading Christmas cheer?" Tony asked.

"And right to my hips." Ziva mumbled.

"No, I am not talking about that kind of Christmas cheer." He got up and rummaged around until he found what he was looking for. He came back to the sofa with two wrapped gifts.

"Dad! I told you no gifts!" Tony sat up straight. He did not want his dad spending money on him, especially in light of the change in his own financial circumstances.

"My choice, Anthony. I will always do what I want to do, whether you approve or not. I would have thought you knew that by now."

Ziva sat up as well, chuckling a little. She was more than a little interested in what Tony's father was going to give him. Tony had mentioned previous gifts before and they had lacked a certain degree of…knowledge about his son's interests.

"This is for you son." He handed Tony what looked like a shirt box. "Although I am sure you will want to share it with someone…special." Tony's relief that his Dad had bought him a shirt was short-lived.

"Go ahead. Open it." Tony eyed his Dad warily, then looked at Ziva. She just raised an eyebrow, almost daring him to do it.''

Sighing, he carefully undid the wrapping paper, revealing a shirt box.

"Thanks, Dad. I'm sure I'll like it."

"Jr! What happened to your detective skills? You would never assume a shirt box had a shirt in it if you had found this at a murder scene."

"Please tell me this is not from a murder scene."

"Tony." Ziva's soft voice was not quite a reprimand, but she was telling him to get over it and open the box. Reluctantly, slowly, he lifted the lid off of the box. After digging through mounds of tissue paper, he came across a large envelope.

Alarm bells were going off in his head, but he opened the envelope and pulled out several sheets of paper. After looking through them, he looked up at his Dad, confused.

"Dad, this is…"

"Yes, I know. Airfare and lodging for two weeks in London. It's open-dated, so when you go is up to you and there is no expiration date. I thought maybe you would like to see where your mother grew up, maybe meet some distant relatives, although that is totally up to you what you do on your trip. You can stay in your hotel room for the whole two weeks as far as I'm concerned."

Tony was speechless. "There are two airline tickets here."

"Yes, well I thought you might like to take someone with you when you go, again totally up to you." Tony knew he meant Ziva, and if Tony ever took this trip, Ziva is the only person he would consider taking with him.

"I don't understand. How can you…" Tony hesitated. He didn't really want to go into his father's financial situation with Ziva present, and he didn't want to ruin this day by bringing up such a sore subject.

"Uh, never mind. Thank you. It's far more generous than I expected and probably deserved." He stood up and gave his Dad a hug. Sr. hugged Tony hard, almost clutching at him. "I love you, Anthony." He whispered in his ear. "I love you too, Dad." Tony whispered back.

Pulling apart, Sr. turned to Ziva. "Now, you didn't think I forgot you, did you?" Ziva looked shocked. "Oh, no. You do not need to give me anything. Being able to spend this holiday with you has been a gift itself."

"Ziva, you are a gracious and special young lady. I have not seen my son this happy since; well to be honest, ever. I have something I want you to have. It has a special meaning to me, and I can't think of anyone more special than you to give this to."

Tony sucked in his breath, realizing what his father was doing. He watched as his father handed Ziva the wrapped jewelry case. Ziva smiled and grinning at Tony, ripped off the wrapping.

Tony laughed. "Ziva likes to get right to the main event."

Ziva was staring at the velvet box, not quite feeling the same panic she felt when Tony handed her the much smaller box. But she knew instinctively that whatever was inside this box probably belonged to Tony's mother.

Tony watched her carefully, suddenly worried that this was all too much too soon. He placed his hand at the small of her back, massaging it in little circles. She looked at him and realized he probably knew what was in the box. She also realized that this belonged to Tony's father and not to Tony, so if he had had any misgivings about Ziva receiving it, he had lost the fight. That actually brought a smile to her face.

Taking a deep breath, Ziva slowly opened the hinged box. As with the earrings, she gasped. She looked at Tony's father. "I cannot accept this. It is…far too much."

Sr. took the bracelet out of the box and placed it on her wrist. "Of'course you can accept it. It is mine to give to whomever I want to have it. Well, technically, it belongs to Tony." She looked at Tony when he said that. He smiled softly at her.

"But I talked him into letting me hold onto to this. He didn't know I was going to give it to you, just to someone special. I gave this to Tony's mother on our first wedding anniversary. I had it made to match the earrings her parents gave her." Ziva's hand instinctively went to her earrings. "As I told Tony, Meg was my beautiful precious pearl. And you are my beautiful radiant pearl. Please accept this gift, from the bottom of my heart."

Ziva eyes were filled with tears, slowly making their way down her cheeks. "Jr., your lady is crying. I think you need to take care of her."

_**I told you this Vignette was taking a life of its own. One more part, and then on to Vignette Three. Thanks for the great reviews and encouragement. And I am working hard to finish my next chapter for "A Life Worthy Waiting For." Cheers!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**What can I say, I am loving writing this Vignette so much that I don't want it to end, but alas, "all good things" as the saying goes. **

_**Sr. took the bracelet out of the box and placed it on her wrist. "Of 'course you can accept it. It is mine to give to whomever I want to have it. Well, technically, it belongs to Tony." She looked at Tony when he said that. He smiled softly at her.**_

"_**But I talked him into letting me hold onto to this. He didn't know I was going to give it to you, just to someone special. I gave this to Tony's mother on our first wedding anniversary. I had it made to match the earrings her parents gave her." Ziva's hand instinctively went to her earrings. "As I told Tony, Meg was my beautiful precious pearl. And you are my beautiful radiant pearl. Please accept this gift, from the bottom of my heart."**_

_**Ziva eyes were filled with tears, slowly making their way down her cheeks. "Jr., your lady is crying. I think you need to take care of her."**_

Vignette Two: "A Very DiNozzo Christmas- Part Four"

Before he could get up, Ziva hugged him tightly, and kissed his cheek. "Thank you. I will take very good care of it, and I hope someday, maybe I can give this to someone whom I consider a beautiful, precious, radiant pearl." Sr. kissed her cheek, looked significantly at Tony, and excused himself, presumably to use the bathroom.

Ziva fingered the bracelet on her right wrist. Tony took her right hand in his, and turned her face toward him gently with a finger.  
"Are you ok with all of this? My father is not known for being subtle."

"It is a little overwhelming, but I have become used to your father's uh, eccentricities."

Tony chuckled. "He has had his share of hair-brained schemes in his life, but I don't think that's what this is. It is his new mission."

"New mission? What is?"

"Us." Tony answered honestly. One of the things they had promised each other when they finally talked after getting out of that elevator was to quit with the games, and to always tell each other the truth, even if it hurt. Tony wasn't real thrilled with that promise as it could backfire and the "truth" could end up being that Ziva no longer wanted to be with him.

"What do you mean 'us'? We are together, are we not?"

Tony squirmed a little, not wanting to scare Ziva off. "Well, we are together. We are dating, we are intimate. But we are not living together, and we are certainly not 'together' in the legal sense of the word, if you get my drift."

Ziva looked confused for a moment, then understanding dawning on her face. "Oh, I see. He is hoping we will get married."

"Of'course he is. He wants a little 'Anthony DiNozzo, III. But it is not up to him, so try to ignore his little tricks and we'll be fine, ok?"

Ziva leaned back into him, allowing him to wrap his arms around her. "Ok, I am not worried or nervous Tony. And I am not going to run away because I think things are moving too fast. You cannot get rid of me that quickly."

"Do you think things are moving too fast?" Tony was concerned.

Ziva considered the question. "Maybe if this had happened a month ago, but no, I think we are going forward as we should."

Tony kissed her. "I love you, Ziva."

She looked surprised. "You have not said that to me before."

"Maybe not verbally, but I hope my actions have been conveying my true feelings. I haven't actually said the infamous 'Three Little Words' because I didn't want to scare you off. I didn't want you to end our relationship because you thought I wanted more than what you were ready or willing to give."

Ziva looked into his eyes. "We made a promise to always be honest to each other. I wasn't always sure what I wanted from you, or rather, what I wanted from us. All I knew is that we belonged together and I wanted to be with you. I never used to think beyond that."

She placed her hand on his cheek. "But now, I think I am ready to think beyond today, or even tomorrow. I do not know where our future will end up, but I am ready to find out. I love you too. Tony."

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, as a symbol of their relationship past; then she kissed him fully on the lips, a kiss of promise and fulfillment.

Tony deepened the kiss and wrapped her in his arms. Finally needing to take a breath, they both fell back against the sofa, arms still intertwined. Tony stroked Ziva's hair, nestling against her neck.

"_Snap"_ Fortunately, Sr. had an expensive camera that didn't need a flash and didn't make a sound once the picture was taken. He smiled at the couple. _"This is going to make one hell of a picture." _

Reluctantly, they came apart, but never took their eyes off of one another.

"Back to reality tomorrow." Tony said quietly. Ziva smiled. She knew he meant having to keep their relationship under control at work, "keep it out of the office."

"We will have our moments when we can get together. There is always the Men's bathroom." Tony laughed heartily at that. Sr. took that as his cue to return to the living room.

"Having fun?" He asked, winking at Ziva. Tony and Ziva looked at each other and smiled. They got up and joined his Dad in the kitchen. The holidays were almost over and now it was time to clean up.

Tony took his Dad back to the hotel by himself, leaving Ziva at his place.

"Dad, thanks for coming. I really mean that. It's been a really nice Christmas having you here."

Sr. hugged his son. "Glad I was able to, son. Now, you keep in touch with me. I don't want to miss any important events."

"Dad…" "Come on, son. You and I both know that you have every intention of marrying that marvelous creature."

Tony looked sheepish. "Maybe, but I have to wait until she is ready, so don't push it. Otherwise you may push her away."

Sr. looked horrified. "Well, I certainly don't want to do that. Ok, I'll keep my nose out of things. Goodbye, son."

"Uh, Dad, can we talk a little bit? About your gift?" Tony looked around the lobby. "Maybe we should go to your room, it will be more private."

Anthony, Sr. eyed his son, knowing where this was going. "Son, can't you just be gracious and accept the gift without the how-to's and where-fors?"

"You know I can't do that, Dad." Tony looked sadly at his father. He wanted this visit to end on a happy note and was desperately worried that whatever his Dad was going to say to him could tear apart the wounds they had mended in the past few days.

His Dad shrugged. "All right, upstairs. Do you need to call Ziva?"

Tony looked a little startled at that. "Am I going to be here that long?" Sr. laughed. "I guess that depends on you and whether or not you believe what I have to say." They looked at each other. "Ok, just give me a second." Tony walked a few steps away.

""I'll see you upstairs. Give Ziva my love." Tony nodded, the knot in his stomach tightening with each passing second.

"Hi." Ziva's voice was soft and a little tired.

'Hey, Babe. I need to talk to my Dad for a bit, it you don't mind. I shouldn't be too much longer."

Ziva frowned. "I thought everything was ok?" Tony paused. "They are. I just have some questions for him, about some financial stuff."

"Ok." Ziva yawned. "Don't forget it's a school night." Tony chuckled. "I won't. Love you. See you soon."

"I love you, too." Ziva whispered. She was surprised at how easy she was finding it to be able to openly express her feelings. Her past training had ingrained into her to keep everything inside, otherwise you would be vulnerable and could be compromised. She was finding she liked being a little vulnerable, at least as far as Tony DiNozzo was concerned.

She thought about what Tony has said to her, about his father's "mission." It was true that although they had only been actively "dating" since May, their relationship had been evolving for years. Maybe they should think about taking things a step further.

Tony headed up to his Dad's room and knocked on the door. "It's open, Jr." his Dad called out.

Tony walked in and found his Dad sitting in a wing chair, scotch in hand. "Ok son, what's on your mind."

Tony took a deep breath. "Your gift to me, to us. Don't get me wrong; it's a great present, but how can you afford it? Has something changed that you would care to share with me? Or are you just dealing and scheming, because I don't want to spend a vacation bought by wheeling and dealing."

Sr. sat his glass down on the side table. "Anthony, do you remember the last time I came to DC? I mean before the attack."

"When you were a murder suspect? Yeah, Dad. Kind of hard to forget."

"Well, I don't know if you remember, but that whole debacle had to do with a deal I had set up, a deal that would have squared me away for the rest of my life. Well, obviously, that one didn't work out as planned."

"I'm a hard worker, Anthony. I do 'wheel and deal' as you put it; but that's what all legitimate businessmen do. And everything I have done has been legitimate. When that deal fell through, I just looked for the next one. And I found it."

Tony looked confused. "I don't understand."

Sr. smiled and took a sip of his scotch. "What I am trying to say, son, and I am sure Gibbs will appreciate this; my ship has come in. I was able to close a big deal, and it paid off handsomely. I have no bills, my homes are paid for, I have a sizeable 401K as well as stock portfolio, and I am now financially independent. I told you I always bounce back. So you and Ziva get started on those kids so I can spoil them rotten and send them to Ivy League colleges."

Sr. smiled. "Of'course, you don't exactly need my help now, do you? Take those papers to a lawyer, Anthony and go through them with a fine toothed comb. You are going to find a lot more there than what we were able to decipher."

Tony sat there stunned. "Dad, I don't know what to say. I mean, congratulations, you've worked hard and I'm glad it has finally paid off, literally. I'm sorry I doubted you."

"Hey, if I were you, I would have doubted me as well. I was planning to tell you all this while I was here, but well I just had so damn much fun, there never really was a time to sit and talk alone. I'm glad you insisted on staying and talking."

Tony got up. His Dad also got up and they hugged each other. "I'm really proud of you, Dad."

Sr. smiled. "You know what Jr.? So am I. And I am very proud of you and very happy you and Ziva are finally together. I saw it the first time I met her. Took you long enough."

Tony laughed at that. "Things are not always as easy as they seem or as they should be. But we are together now, and that's what counts."

"Indeed it does." Sr. walked Tony to the door of his room.

"Bye, Dad." They shook hands and Tony headed back to his place. The past two weeks had totally upended his life, but all he wanted to do right now was get back home, and to Ziva.

He walked into his apartment. It was darkened but he could see light coming from the bedroom door. "I'm home." He announced, because he didn't want to startle Ziva and be faced with a Ninja and a Sig.

He cracked open the door to his bedroom, and found Ziva lying in his bed, clearly waiting for him. Walking slowly to the bed, shedding his clothes with each step, he joined the woman he loved and who loved him.

"Everything ok with your father?" Ziva murmured as her lips caressed Tony's. "Dad is great, we are great. Now if you don't mind, I have other things on my mind than talking."

**NCIS**

The day after a holiday was always bad. Luckily they hadn't been on call, but that doesn't mean cases stopped because it was Christmas. A Navy Captain and his new bride had been killed in a robbery gone badly, in the hotel where they were spending their honeymoon no less.

McGee had arrived about an hour before Tony and Ziva did, and in that time he had been able to link that case to multiple other cases of Navy and Marine newlyweds being robbed while on their honeymoons. Those cases never came across their radar because their team didn't handle simple robberies. But with this killing, it was clear that this had not been a random event. Someone was targeting these couples. McGee found that all couples had been married at the "Garden of Love" Chapel in Alexandria, VA.

Tony and Ziva unlinked their hands as soon as they got off the elevator. They both looked at each other and frowned to see McGee already there and clearly hard at work.

"What's up, McGee. Did we miss a call?" Tony didn't want to start the day off on a bad foot with Gibbs.

"No, I just decided to come in early and picked up a case that happened while we were out. Gibbs is upstairs talking to Vance about it."

Tony blanched. "Are we the last ones here? What time is it?" It was only 8am, but Tony felt like they were hours late.

Just then, Gibbs came down from Vance's office. "Morning, DiNozzo, Ziva. Did you get your Dad off ok?"

"Yes…" Tony answered slowly. Gibbs didn't waste any time. "Tony, get up to speed with McGee. Ziva, you're with me. We've already booked everything, so we have no time to waste. Come on, Ziva. Abby's waiting." He dragged her toward the elevator.

"Boss, wait a minute. What in the hell is going on? Booked what? What are…?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Gibbs head peaked through the elevator doors before they closed, a small smile on his face. "You and Ziva are getting married in two days."

_**Thanks for the great reviews. This second Vignette just kept getting bigger and bigger. This will now lead into another spoiler that has been out there for a while, but there is no spoiler about them getting married. This next Vignette will be the set up for the one that will be about the spoiler. Which one am I talking about? You'll just have to keep reading to find out.**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Gibbs didn't waste any time. "Tony, get up to speed with McGee. Ziva, you're with me. We've already booked everything, so we have no time to waste. Come on, Ziva. Abby's waiting." He dragged her toward the elevator.**_

"_**Boss, wait a minute. What in the hell is going on? Booked what? What are…?"**_

"_**Oh, didn't I tell you?" Gibbs head peaked through the elevator doors before they closed, a small smile on his face. "You and Ziva are getting married in two days."**_

Vignette Three: Part One

Tony just stared at the closed elevator doors. He turned to look at McGee, who was back at work, typing furiously on his keyboard.

Tony marched himself over to McGee's desk and put his hand over the keyboard.

McGee looked up. "Tony! I'm trying to work here."

"McGee, you need to tell me what in the hell is going on. Not that I am upset that Ziva and I are getting married. I just didn't expect to hear the news about it from Gibbs!" Tony refused to move his hand.

"OK, here's what I know. Yesterday, a Navy Captain and his new bride were killed during a robbery attempt, in the hotel where they were spending their honeymoon. They had just eloped."

Tony grimaced at that. "Ok, but there's more to it than that, right? Otherwise…"

"Yes, there's more. The case just seemed hinky to me, so I did some crossing-referencing of robberies and military couples while on their honeymoons."

"And?"

"And I was right. There have been at least fifty newlyweds who have been robbed with this scenario. Of'course, they never came across our desks…"

"Yeah, I get it. Simple robberies. Sad, but not exactly our area."

"Exactly. So I did some more digging to see if there was anything I could find that might link any of these couples, other than the obvious that they were all newlyweds and in the military. I found out that they had all been married at this place called the "Garden of Love" Chapel in Alexandria, VA., outside the beltway."

"Something went wrong with this robbery. Maybe the Captain fought back, or they weren't supposed to be in their rooms and came back early." McGee shrugged. "Now that we are dealing with a murder, it's our case."

"And we need a target." Tony rubbed his jaw. "As thrilled as I am to even _pretend_ to be getting married to Ziva, I am not really interested in knowingly putting her in danger."

Tim looked at Tony. "DiNozzo please: Other than the part about being thrilled to be married to you. Ziva is probably saying the same thing to Gibbs."

"You wound me McGee. But you are right about Ziva; she can take care of herself. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. So what's next? Where do we go from here?"

McGee handed Tony a form. "You and Ziva need to fill this out and get it paid for. You already have your ceremony scheduled for 1pm on the 28th." Tim paused to hand Tony a packet.

"Inside are your reservations for your honeymoon at the Williamsburg Inn and Resort. You are booked for three days. From what we've seen, all of the robberies have occurred on the second night, but we want to make sure in case, well, you know."

"Stan Burley will be your contact and backup. He will be staying in the room next to you and Ziva. You will have an adjoining door which I usually find annoying when I stay in a hotel but will work to our advantage in this case."

"Ok, this is an impressive amount of work you've done in a…very short time, McGee. But I feel a little lost. What I am I missing here?"

McGee looked worried. "Well, we don't know about the chain of communication. How did the robbers know where these newlyweds were going to be staying? We are assuming that there is someone at this chapel that somehow decides who the victims will be, figures out where they will be staying, and then contacts another party, the group responsible for the robberies. Which does remind me of a part I left out."

"The only couples targeted were those who seemed to have something worth stealing. Apparently a sailor who bought his bride to be a $500 .25 carat diamond chip engagement ring in 10k gold was not considered to be worth the effort."

"So we need to bring some serious bling to the table." Tony clutched his packet.

McGee nodded. "Very serious bling."

**Abby's Lab**

Ziva followed Gibbs into Abby's lab, uncertain as to what she was getting into. She liked going undercover, but this seemed to be hitting a little too close to home. Gibbs had given her an abbreviated version of Tim's story to Tony as they were descending to Abby's lab.

Abby looked up and smiled brightly. "There you are! Ok, let me show you what I've got." She upended an envelope, out of which tumbled three rings. One was clearly an engagement ring. It had a large center diamond and a row of three smaller diamonds on each side. The setting appeared to be 14k Gold. The Brides' wedding band was a ring of diamonds, totally encircling the ring. The husband's ring was a thick band of 14k Gold, with three diamonds in a channel set on top.

Abby went on. "These rings have tracking sensors in them. In the off chance this gang is actually able to steal them, we will be able to follow them. It's like the same technology of the chip you put in your pet's ear in case they run away or get taken."

Ziva caught her breath. "You could not have found something simpler?" Gibbs smiled. "No Ziver. We want someone to want to steal these rings. Have to dangle some damn good bait to catch the bad guys."

Ziva smiled at that. "Yes, I suppose you are right about that. So what do we need to do right now?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" Abby took her hand. "You and I are going shopping. You need a dress, and shoes and a veil and…"

Ziva held up her hand. "Wait. If this is not real, then why do we need all of this stuff?"

Gibbs whispered in her ear. "Because these guys don't know it's not real. This has to look like you and Tony are really getting married. Which is why Abby is going to be your Bridesmaid, Tim the Best Man, and I am going to walk you down the aisle."

Ziva looked at Gibbs. "Don't worry; we won't ruin it for you, for when it happens for real." He kissed her on the cheek.

Ziva wasn't sure, but she thought Gibbs just gave her and Tony permission to get married. "Is it getting warm in here?" She asked suddenly.

Abby smirked at Gibbs. "Getting cold feet already? Let's go before Papa Gibbs changes his mind." Abby grabbed Ziva's hand and pulled her out of the lab. Ziva just looked at Gibbs behind her, feeling lost and scared.

"Ziver! It will be ok, have fun with it." Gibbs smiled as Ziva tried to summon up a smile.

Before they left the building, Ziva stopped Abby. "I need to speak to Tony first, Abby. I will not be long." Abby looked a little disappointed but agreed. "Remember, not too long!"

Ziva entered the bullpen, looking for Tony. "McGee! Where is Tony?" McGee pointed towards the Men's room. Ziva made a bee-line for it and then opened the door. Fortunately, only Tony was inside.

He got one look at her face and walked over to her to rub her arms. "Hey, it's just undercover. You like undercover, remember?"

"This is different. We are actually going through with a wedding ceremony, Tony. It will seem…real." Tony tried not to look hurt.

"I didn't realize you would find that so…distasteful."

Ziva's features softened and she felt bad. "I did not mean it that way. I am sorry Tony. What I meant was. A wedding is a special day. I do not want this to…" Tony engulfed her in a big hug. "Ziva, I have no idea if you will ever want to marry me for real, but I will promise you one thing."

"What is that?" Ziva looked into Tony's eyes.

"That if we ever get married for real our wedding will look nothing like what we will be doing in two days." Ziva relaxed against him. "Thank you. I am sorry to worry about such simple things."

"Hey there is nothing simple about a wedding, fake or real. You wouldn't believe the crap McGee gave me to do."

"Oh, that reminds me. Abby is waiting for me. Apparently I have to buy a wedding outfit." Tony's eyes widened at that. "Do I get to see it later?"

"No, if you are going to be a groom then you have to wait."

**Amara's Bridal Salon, Annapolis**

Ziva let Abby handle most of the conversation- _"Yes, we know it is not much time; no we do not have any special needs; just a wedding gown that looks like a wedding gown and that can be purchased off the rack."_

Ziva had discovered the cover story regarding the sudden marriage to be that Tony "DeMarco" was a retired Marine officer who was currently attached to an intelligence unit in Afghanistan, as a consultant. Even though his deployment would end in three months, they didn't want to wait, and like all good American's, they wanted to take advantage of the tax break.

The bridal consultant brought out a variety of gowns, most of which Ziva nixed outright. Abby talked to her privately. "Ziva, what is going through your head? If you have been thinking of what you would be wearing if you and Tony were getting married, then I can understand your pickiness."

Ziva looked uncomfortable. "Yes, that is partly it. I do not know what will happen with Tony and me. But if we should ever decide to take that step, I want that day to be the way I want it. I do not want this day to look anything…this is not how it is supposed to be."

Abby took her friends hand. "Have you ever thought about what you would wear if you and Tony were actually getting married?'

Slightly embarrassed, Ziva nodded yes. "Ok, then! We just won't look at any dresses that resemble your dream dress." Abby thought for a while. "Is your dream dress sleeveless or does it have sleeves?"

Ziva crinkled her eyebrows. "Sleeveless? I think, what I want is called strapless."

Abby grinned. "Oohh…I am liking your style already. Onward: loose and flowy, A-line, form-fitting…"

"Form fitting, but not all the way down, maybe just past my hips."

Abby blinked her eyes. "You really do know what you want, don't you?" Abby was furiously taking notes, with two columns: Yes, No. "Now, fabric. Plain? Satin or taffeta? Lace? Crystals and pearls?"

"Definitely crystals and pearls. I do not know fabrics." Ziva looked confused.

"OK, well it is winter, so let's pick a fabric that is not real flimsy, like a satin. Taffeta can be really heavy and is more appropriate for the ball-gown type. Do you want to look like Cinderella?"

Abby had to laugh at the horror in Ziva's eyes. "That's a big no." She wrote.

Abby walked over the bridal consultant and spoke to her privately, showing her the list. The saleswoman's eyes almost popped out her head when she saw the "No" list. She looked at Abby with concern. "She does realize she wants an off the rack dress?"

"Please, just find something that's close to what is on the "Yes" list."

The consultant looked at the list again. Suddenly, a big smile appeared on her face. "I'll be right back."

Abby went back and sat with Ziva. "She's going to get a gown. Try to be open."

When the consultant returned, both Ziva and Abby gasped. The gown has made of satin and organza. The bodice was shirred, with a large band made of the same material with lace and an applique in the middle at the waist. The skirt of the dress fell in a slight A-line from the waist, satin overlaid with organza.

The bodice was attached to lace that formed the top of the dress and the three-quarter length sleeves. So even though the dress had the feel of being strapless, because of the sheer lace top and sleeves it was modest and offered a beautiful alternative to the solid satin.

"Try it on, try it on!" Abby pushed Ziva toward the dress. Shyly, Ziva looked at her friend, and then followed the consultant to the dressing room.

Ziva returned ten minutes later. Abby was busy texting Tim and didn't notice Ziva's return. When she looked up, she dropped her phone. "Oh, my God, Ziva! And this isn't your dream dress?"

Despite herself, Ziva had a beautiful smile on her face. "It is perfect, is it not?" The consultant was fussing with the skirt, flipping it out to show its shape at its best. "It doesn't have a train, I hope that is ok. It wasn't on your…list." Ziva smiled. "I would not want a train, so yes it is ok."

The consultant stood back, hands on hips, satisfied. "I forgot about this dress. It was a special order, and then, sadly the wedding was called off." She took a breath. "Now, what about the veil?"

That took Ziva out of the little world she was in. "Do I have to wear one?" The consultant sighed and Abby frowned. "Ziva, what did we just talk about? Just pick something you would not pick if…well, you know." They didn't want the consultant to know that this was not Ziva's real wedding.

Ziva sighed. "Very well. Something simple, no longer than, I don't know, here?" She touched the middle of her upper arm.

"And the headpiece?"

Ziva shook her head, adamant. "No headpiece. Something that I can just attach to my hair, in the back."

"Well, then, I know what will be perfect." This was Abby who spoke. "I saw it as we were walking in." Abby walked over to the veil area and returned with a white, 20" rattail edged veil, attached to a comb.

"You can put your hair up, half up, half down or leave it down." The consultant took the veil from Abby and attached the veil to the back of Ziva's hair, which she was currently wearing with the top loosely pulled back and the rest as loose curls resting on her shoulders.

After using several bobby pins, the veil was secured. "There you go." Abby turned Ziva around so she could see the full affect in the floor length mirrors.

Ziva gasped and got mad at herself when she felt tears forming_. "This isn't even real, get hold of yourself, David!"_ She sternly lectured herself.

"No blusher?" Abby asked, not really sure if Ziva knew what that was. Ziva leaned in to Abby and whispered. "Not this time."

Abby smiled her understanding. They couldn't believe how lucky they were: the dress fit Ziva as if it was made for her. The veil was perfect, not taking away from the beauty of the dress.

"We'll take it!" Abby beamed. The sales consultant smiled. "This dress had never been worn, so it doesn't really need to be cleaned. We can do a quick steam press to get any wrinkles out if you would like. The same with your veil."

Abby thought about it. "How long would that take?" The consultant checked her book. "Ready by 10am tomorrow morning?"

"Done!" Abby handed over a credit card. Ziva grabbed Abby's hand. "Abby what are you doing? You can't pay for this. If I am wearing this, I should pay and pray to be reimbursed."

Abby grinned. "No worries, my Israeli friend. All complements of NCIS." Ziva just looked at Abby stunned. "Of'course, that means you don't get to keep it. I guess they'll just use it the next time you have to go undercover and get married."

That brought a smile and a head shake from Ziva. She looked at her watch. "Good, Tony and I have time to do something about a driver's license. He texted me about a half hour ago."

Abby giggled. "Marriage license, Ziva. Not driver's license. Go ahead, shoo! Go meet Tony. I got this all under control." Ziva gave her friend a quick kiss on the cheek and practically ran out the door.

"Oh yeah. This is going to be fun!" Abby murmured to herself.

Ziva called Tony and told him where she was. Less than ten minutes later, he showed up. His eyes got huge when he realized she was standing in front of a bridal salon. "Wow! Do I get to see?"

"In two days." Ziva teased him. "Now what is this we are doing?"

"Before you can get married, you have to file for a marriage license. You can't get married without one. So we are getting this taken care of today so there are no problems. I already filled out my part. You just need to fill in your section, then we take it to the courthouse, pay a fee and get the form back so gthat the minister or whatever he is called signs once we are married."

"You seem to know an awful lot about this...Oh, I am sorry Tony. I forgot." She caressed his cheek. "I am sorry. Forgive me?"

Tony took her hand and kissed it. "Of'course. That was a long time ago. Frankly, I'm surprised I remembered as much as I did. Maybe I've been thinking a lot about it lately."

Ziva gave him a look of shock, then punched him in his upper arm when he saw his silly grin.

As they were driving, Ziva used Tony's laptop as a table and completed her portion of the application. After signing it, she folded it up and put it in the envelope. "Is that it?"

"Just need to pay the fee." Tony looked at Ziva after they pulled into a parking spot. "You did bring some money didn't you?" Before Ziva could punch him again, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into an embrace. He kissed her deeply. "Are you ready?"

Ziva kissed him back. "I think so, yes."

They got out of the car and walked into the building hand in hand.

**Friday, December 28, 2012.**

Tony was pacing up and down in front of the chapel, clearly nervous. Tim, as Best Man was quietly taking photos with his phone, grinning at Tony's discomfort.

"Are you going to be this nervous when you two finally get married, you know for real?" Tim's voice was a whisper. Tony whipped his head around and looked at him. Tim was clearly egging him on, but he also looked like he was asking a legitimate question that needed a truthful answer.

Tony leaned into Tim. "No, because when that time comes, I _know_ she will show up." Tim nodded. "Uh, huh," and walked away and texted Abby.

The minister, Samuel Evans, was chatting with Tony and Tim, when he looked up. "Ah, it looks like the Bridal party has arrived. He looked at the organist, who began playing the "Wedding March."

Abby started walking down the aisle, shaking a little. Ziva would not let her wear black. So she had allowed Abby to wear a dark green dress that came to just above her knees, which went with the holiday. She carried reddish-orange colored roses and baby's breath.

Tony and Tim smiled as Abby navigated down the aisle, wearing fairly high heels. To her credit, she didn't stumble once. She gave Tony a tearful smile.

"Geesh, she's playing her role really well." Tim whispered to Tony. Tony bumped his elbow, the closest he could get to a head slap. Suddenly, the music swelled and the double doors opened.

Gibbs stepped inside, wearing a dark suit, green tie and a cream colored rose boutinneire. Beside him, on his arm, swept in Ziva, carrying a bouquet of cream colored roses.

Tony and Tim's mouths both dropped open, but they quickly recovered themselves. Tony couldn't believe what he was looking at. To say Ziva was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen wouldn't even begin to describe it. He also couldn't believe it when he felt the tears start to slowly slide down his cheeks.

Ziva locked eyes with Tony the entire walk down the aisle. No one else was in the room. Even if this was not the real thing, it had to appear to be the real thing. Ziva had no trouble playing the part. She was startled when she realized that Tony had actually started to cry, but was glad he had quickly recovered himself.

Once Gibbs got her to Tony's side, he gave them both a 'Gibbs look.' Reverend Evans began, using the standard ceremony. Fortunately, no one stood up and declared a reason for the couple not to be joined in marriage. When he asked, "Who gives this woman to this man to married in Holy Matrimony?"

Gibbs stepped forward, and with a slightly emotional voice said, "I do." He placed Ziva's right hand into Tony's right hand, kissed Ziva on the cheek and sat down in a pew. Abby looked at him and smiled, knowing he was probably thinking of another young lady he should have given away in marriage.

The ceremony was short, no additional readings or lectures, no special vows written and recited by the Bride and Groom. "Anthony, will you take this woman, whose hands you hold, choosing her alone to be your wedded wife? Will you live with her in the state of true matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, honor her at all times, and be faithful to her?"

Tony looked deeply into Ziva's eyes, "Yes, I will."

"Ziva, will you take this man, whose hands you hold, choosing him alone to be your wedded husband? Will you live with him in the state of true matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, honor him at all times, and be faithful to him?"

Ziva had not broken eye contact with Tony. A gentle tear slid down her cheek. "Yes, I will."

They placed their rings on each other's fingers, Tony kissing Ziva's hand when he finished.

"What God and Love hath joined together, let no man or woman tear asunder. In as much as you, Anthony, and you Ziva, have consented together to this union of marriage, and you have pledged your faith to each other here in my presence, and the presence of this company, now by the authority vested in me as a minister for the state of Virginia, I now announce that you are Husband and Wife." Reverend Evans broke out into a big grin.

"Kiss your bride, young man!" Everyone laughed and Tony took Ziva into her arms and kissed her with so much emotion he couldn't stop the tears as well. Everyone cheered and clapped.

With a big DiNozzo grin, Tony escorted Ziva back down the aisle. Everyone soon gathered around, Jimmy talking pictures as the "official photographer."

"I believe you have something for me to sign?" Rev. Evans asked Tony. "Oh, yes." He pretended that he couldn't find it, slapping several pockets. After seeing the look in Gibbs' eye, he smiled. "Just kidding. Here it is." He handed over the license to the minister, who quickly scrawled the date, time and his signature. "Joey?" He called to his son; he helped him run the Chapel. "The stamp please?"

They had a special stamp made up for the Chapel so he wouldn't have to write it out each time. Stamping the document, he handed it back to Tony. "Get that in the mail right away, so you can get your marriage certificate." Joey, Jr. came up and offered them a guestbook. "Can you please sign this for us? We like all our couples to sign our book."

Taking a pen, Tony signed "Anthony DeMarco" and Ziva signed "Ziva Davidson DeMarco." "Great, thanks!" Joey shook Tony and Ziva's hands, offering them his left hand. "So any great honeymoon plans?"

Tony put his arm around Ziva. "A short one, unfortunately. I rejoin my unit in Afghanistan in a week. We're spending a couple of days at the Williamsburg Inn and Resort." Reverend Evans raised his eyes in appreciation. "That is a beautiful place. I know you will enjoy it. I'm sorry to hear you have to leave your bride so soon."

Tony looked appropriately sad. "Well, I'm a consultant with the Corps. My deployment actually ends in three months but…" He looked at Ziva and kissed her again. The Reverend laughed. "Couldn't wait?"

Tony continued looking at Ziva. "Would you?" Gibbs pointedly looked at his watch. "Hey, if we want to get to the restaurant in time and get you down to Williamsburg, we need to go…now!"

Tony and Ziva thanked the Chapel people again for a wedding "they will always remember." The group left together, then got into their separate cars. They would all meet again at a pre-arranged placed.

_**Thanks for the super support for this series. Once again, this Vignette is larger than expected. Since the Season X premiere is a 10 days away, I need to get on the stick with this series. Thanks again!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**In response to the review from Kat asking if the spoiler for this was about them going undercover as man and wife or something else, the answer is "something else." The only mention I have heard of Tony and Ziva going undercover was from the commentary by MW and CdP for the episode "Housekeeping," and it was said as something Cote would like to see happen again between Ziva and Tony. This story is essentially filling in backstory, for the next "spoiler" to make sense, at least in my "Promotion" world.**

**This is a really long chapter, but I wanted to close it so I could get to the next Vignette based on a spoiler. My hope is to get all of these done before the season premiere.**

_**Taking a pen, Tony signed "Anthony DeMarco" and Ziva signed "Ziva Davidson DeMarco." "Great, thanks!" Joey shook Tony and Ziva's hands, offering them his left hand. "So any great honeymoon plans?"**_

_**Tony put his arm around Ziva. "A short one, unfortunately. I rejoin my unit in Afghanistan in a week. We're spending a couple of days at the Williamsburg Inn and Resort." Reverend Evans raised his eyes in appreciation. "That is a beautiful place. I know you will enjoy it. I'm sorry to hear you have to leave your bride so soon."**_

_**Tony looked appropriately sad. "Well, I'm a consultant with the Corps. My deployment actually ends in three months but…" He looked at Ziva and kissed her again. The Reverend laughed. "Couldn't wait?"**_

_**Tony continued looking at Ziva. "Would you?" Gibbs pointedly looked at his watch. "Hey, if we want to get to the restaurant in time and get you down to Williamsburg, we need to go…now!" **_

_**Tony and Ziva thanked the Chapel people again for a wedding "they will always remember." The group left together, then got into their separate cars. They would all meet again at a pre-arranged placed.**_

Vignette Three- Part Two

Tony was the first to speak. "Please DiNozzo, no toasts." Gibbs murmured. Tony wondered if this day had taken more out of Gibbs than he thought it would. "Thanks Boss. What I was going to say is that I think the son is the contact."

Ziva nodded. "I agree. Did you see how he purposely shook our left hands? He could get a good look at our rings that way. And he had us sign that book so he could have our names"

Gibbs nodded. "Ok, I missed the part with the rings, but that book signing sent out big signals that he seems to be the most likely in that group."

Gibbs and McGee worked out surveillance for Joey Evans, Jr. Abby headed back to the lab to work on the forensic evidence that had arrived finally from the original case.

Tony and Ziva got into a convertible Mustang and made their way down I-95 South toward Williamsburg. "Have I told you today that you look absolutely beautiful?" Tony said to Ziva, wanting to look at her, but keeping his eyes on the road. "Your eyes have." Ziva answered softly.

At that, Tony did break contact with the road to look at Ziva, but then quickly looked ahead again. "Well then it appears that I have some serious work ahead of me tonight, to make up for not saying it."

Ziva chuckled beside him. "Well, we are on our honeymoon. It is supposed to be special is it not?"

At that, Tony gunned the gas.

**Williamsburg Inn and Resort**

Tony pulled in front of the hotel, allowing the hotel staff to take their luggage, and gave the car keys to the valet. He put his hand around Ziva's waist and whispered in her ear as they entered the hotel. "Remember, we just got married, so go with my flow ok? Follow my lead."

Ziva looked sideways at Tony. "You aren't taking this moment to tell me you've been on a honeymoon before are you?"

Tony looked at Ziva with alarm. "What? No! Hell, No! I just might make some suggestive comments and I want you to act like a love struck newlywed."

Ziva chuckled. "I see. Well, then this shall be interesting."

Tony grinned. "Oh yeah."

They got up to the counter. "Good afternoon or maybe early evening?" Tony began. "Mr. and Mrs. Anthony DeMarco, checking in for their long awaited honeymoon!" The hotel clerk smiled. "Congratulations. I think the wedding gown was bit of a giveaway, but it's always fun to hear."

"DeMarco, yes, here we are." The clerk's eyebrows rose. "Ah, one of our Freedom Suites, reserved for members of our military. Thank you sir, for your service."

Tony was a little uncomfortable with the praise, since he had never actually served, but Ziva came to his rescue. She leaned into him and looked at him with the largest eyes he had ever seen. "Yes, I am so proud of him."

Tony almost lost it right there, but remembered to stay on script. "Why thank you, sweetheart. You are my inspiration." He kissed her convincingly, which took no effort on his part.

"So, what are your plans while you are here? We have a lot of amenities at The Inn…" Tony waved him off. "Oh, I have it all planned. Tonight," and he pulled Ziva closer to him, "We are going to make a baby, then we are going to order room service and eat something really expensive, then we are going to make another baby; then order room service again for dessert. Then," He looked at Ziva, who surprisingly was smiling through his whole dissertation, "We may need to take a little nap, and if I'm lucky, Ziva's going to wake me up to make another baby."

The clerk did not blink an eye through Tony's entire performance. He handed Tony the keys to their room. "Well, then. Good luck. Sounds like you really want a kid." Ziva patted his chest. "Not only that, he is hoping he will get to carry it as well." With that, Ziva took this hand and led him to the elevator. The clerk chuckled under his breath.

"Hey!" Tony protested as Ziva pulled him into the elevator. Before he could get another word out, Ziva kissed him so hard he almost forgot to breath. Finally able to speak, he placed his hands on her waist. "Guess all that baby talk got you really hot, huh?"

The elevator door opened and they stumbled to their room. Tony was trying to undress while he was opening the door. They practically fell on the floor getting through the door. Laughing, the helped each other up. Just as Tony was about to undo Ziva's dress, there was a knock on the door. They looked at each other. "I didn't already order room service did I?"

"You don't think this group would try anything this early do you?" Ziva asked. Tony almost slapped himself in the back of the head. For the past ten minutes he had completely forgotten about the case, why they were really there.

"Shit!" He said. He looked around for his luggage, but it wasn't up yet. "My gun is in my suitcase." He whispered to Ziva.

"What?" Sighing, she reached under her dress and pulled out a knife she had attached to her leg. "Did you wear that during the entire wedding?" Her look answered his question.

They stood by the door. "Ready?" Ziva nodded.

"C'mon Tony, I know you and Ziva are in there. We could hear you kissing all the way down the hall."

Tony and Ziva looked at each other, and opened the door.

"Stan?"

"Welcome to Williamsburg. How was the wedding? Sorry I couldn't make it. Oh, my God, Ziva!" Stan had been strolling into the room, ragging on his friends when he caught site of Ziva.

"Hands off, Stan. She's my wife, now. Not yours."

Stan smiled. "Man, did I end up of the wrong end of the stick on this assignment."

Ziva smiled and gave Stan a kiss. "I am just going to change out of this dress. It is lovely, but not one to wear all day long. I will return shortly." Tony watched her go, clearly disappointed.

"Hoping to take it off of her, huh DiNozzo?"

"Yep." Tony turned to Stan. "I don't know if you heard, but Ziva and I are together now, as in…together."

Stan looked surprised. "No, I hadn't heard. Way to go DiNozzo. Ziva is very special, but you already know that." With that Ziva emerged from the bedroom, wearing an off the shoulder thin sweater and every tight white pants, and looking like a million bucks.

They all sat at the table. "Ok, the room has been swept. There are no bugs, so there should be no problem but I would continue to use your undercover names in case that changes. We will sweep every time after any hotel personnel come into your room. We'll also provide you with a sweep so you can check whatever Room Services bring to your room."

Stan pointed behind him. "We are next door. We have monitoring equipment," he saw Tony frown at that, "Which will only be activated while you are out of the room, or if you activate it yourself." He handed each of them a small device that looked like an iPod. It also had earphones. "You may find this uncomfortable, but you guys like to sleep with your iPods." Tony looked at his. "Is there any way we can accidently turn this on so that you can hear us when we don't want you hearing us?"

Stan knew what he was asking. "If either of you activate the monitoring, we will whisper in your ear to make sure you want it on. If the answer is yes, then we are good to go. If the answer is no, then we will terminate. Come on, Tony, you can trust us."

"We do trust you, Stan." Ziva said, looking significantly at Tony. She didn't want their lovemaking overheard or recorded, God forbid. But they were all professionals. "By the way, who is 'we'?"

Surprisingly, Stan blushed. "My partner for this op." Tony and Ziva looked at each other. "And…?" Tony asked.

"Her name is Dana Denton."

"And…" Tony persisted.

Stan sat back in his chair and smiled. He picked up his cellphone and punched a number. "Hey, Hi! Come on over."

Not two seconds later, the door between the two rooms in the living room opened and a young woman came through. Well, young is a relative term. Stan was in his forties, so Dana was probably in her thirties. She had brown hair with light highlights, bright blue eyes, and was very, very pretty.

"Hi, Tony, Ziva. I'm Dana." "Hi!" They both said, then looked at Stan.

Stan looked at Dana, who looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. Finally, Stan broke into a big grin. "Ok, busted. But we are not common knowledge. We are work partners only as far as the brass is concerned."

"Hey, no worries. Ziva and I played that game for months." Tony smiled. "Good for you, so are there like buttons we can push to turn on the monitors in your room?" Stan threw a pillow at Tony.

**9PM**

Tony flopped back onto his back, sweating and breathing hard. "Ok, baby number one in the oven. Ready to go ahead and try for number two, or are you hungry?"

Ziva caressed his face. "I think you need some time to, recharge, before you can even think about, what? Baby number two? You are insane."

Tony had his arm around her shoulder, snuggled together like they did after their first undercover assignment. "How is it that you aren't even tired? Or sweating?" Tony looked at Ziva. "And I'll have you know that DiN…DeMarco's are known for their quick bounce backs."

Ziva gave a throaty chuckle. "Food first. Follow your little story to the Front Desk clerk. Then you will be rejuvenated, yes?" Tony smiled and grabbed the service menu.

As per instruction, they placed their iPod earphones in their ears when they were finally too tired to keep their eyes open.

Their sleep was interrupted by Tony's cell phone ringing. "Yeah…" Tony mumbled into the phone. "Tony!" Gibbs snapped. "What are you doing?"

"I'm on my damn honeymoon, that's what I'm doing!" Gibbs had the grace to smile. "Keep you up all night?"

"Need to know, and you don't. Here, talk to Ziva." Tony handed the phone to Ziva, who was already awake and dressed. "Good morning."

"Good morning…" Gibbs drawled it out. "How did things go with Stan last night?"

"Very good. We are ready if anyone should try to attempt a robbery."

Gibbs smiled at "attempt," knowing Ziva meant that they would not be successful. "Remember Ziver, we want these people. I don't care if you hurt them, but no one gets killed; unless it's in self-defense."

Ziva listened carefully and nodded. "Understood. I will get Tony up so we can get breakfast and wander around to make sure everyone knows we are on our honeymoon. We will call you later." Ziva ended the call.

She leaned over Tony, who was trying to go back to sleep. She kissed his cheek, then his neck. He moaned, turning more onto his back. He pulled her close and kissed her full on the lips. "Good morning, Mrs. DeMarco."

"Good morning, Mr. DeMarco. You need to get up. We need to walk around and make ourselves known."

Tony groaned. "Are you sure we can't just…" Ziva covered his mouth with her hand. "Out of curiosity, how many babies did we make last night?" His words were barely audible from beneath Ziva's hand.

Ziva thought for about 30 seconds. "At my last count…five?" She stroked his cheek. "Can I ask you something personal?"

Tony turned his head toward her, a serious look on his face. "We made a promise to always tell the truth, no matter how much it might hurt. Are you worried about something?"

Ziva hesitated, not wanting to ask the question, but she was really curious. "OK." She took a deep breath. That caused Tony to sit half up on his side, so he could give her his full attention.

"Please first understand that I am not commenting on your sexual past, I mean I am not trying to compare myself or make a negative reference to the number of other women you have had sex with." Tony momentarily looked confused. _"Could she seriously be worried if he preferred sex with someone he had been with in the past?"_

"When you were with Wendy, and Jeanne, and E.J. and I guess every other women you ever had sex with…did you always refer to having sex as making a baby?"

Tony felt like he had been head slapped by Gibbs. He looked closely at Ziva. She didn't really look upset, more curious than anything. Tony kissed Ziva and cupped her face. "I can honestly say to you that I have never referred to having sex, going to bed, sleeping with each other, or some of the other less tasteful words, to any other woman, as making a baby."

"Then why are you doing it now?" Tony fingered one of her curls. He loved her hair down and he was going to get her to start doing it more if it was the last thing he did.

"Because we just got married, we are on our honeymoon, I am being sent to Afghanistan in a week, and I won't see you for another three months."

Ziva smiled. "Well, when you put it that way, it makes perfect sense; to say that to everyone who thinks our cover story is real. But you kept referring to it all last night, when it was just us. Every time we…do you want a baby?"

That question caught Tony totally off guard, especially since Ziva asked it so calmly. "Do you want a baby?" He asked.

"Do not try to get out of answering my question, by turning it on me. Remember? Truth always, even if it hurts."

Tony sat up and hugged his knees. "Now that we are together, and Gibbs knows about it; it has gotten me thinking about the future, _our_ future. In fact, once this op was over, I was going to ask you if you want to move in together."

Tony looked at Ziva to gauge her reaction and was pleased to see a smile on her face. "You don't ask someone to live with you unless you think the relationship has the potential to succeed. The potential to lead to marriage. A baby is the next natural step."

"I don't know. Maybe I am thinking this is real too much. I don't want to scare you. You know I love you. You love me. I want us to be together forever. So, I guess if I had to make my decision right now or lose everything, then yes, I would want a baby, but only with you." He paused, "And just to be clear, we are not having sex, we are making love."

Ziva pulled Tony back so he was lying down and laid her head on his chest. "So maybe now would be a good time to ask me if I would like to live with you."

Tony raised his head slightly to see if Ziva was giving him a hard time, but she was looking very seriously at him, almost daring him, but with so much love in her face, he relaxed.

Tony got up and stood by the bed. He pulled Ziva up out of bed so she was standing next to him. Taking both of her hand in his, he smiled one of his genuine, caring smiles; instead of his "Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo-am I hot or what?" smiles.

"Ziva, when we are done here and go back to DC, will you consider and hopefully say yes to moving in with me?"

Ziva squeezed Tony's hands. She slowly moved her hands up his chest until they were linked around his neck. "I cannot imagine living with anyone but you. Yes, I will live with you, as long as you can stand it."

Tony threw back his head and laughed at that. Considering they had practically been living together since they made the decision to take their relationship to a higher level, he felt confident that he would never get tired of her. He kissed her deeply, then picked her up and swung her around, making her laugh so hard she started to snort.

"Oh, when I can make you snort, I feel like my job is done." He put her down and planted another kiss on her. "Ok, let's go play newlywed tourist and be real obvious about it."

**11AM**

Tony and Ziva wandered all over the property, surveying potential areas that could be used as observation points, but mostly people watching. They were glued at the hip, holding hands. They made it clear to anyone who may have been watching them that they were clearly newlyweds, or just deeply on love. Ziva made a big show of periodically holding up her left hand to admire the diamonds in her rings sparkle in the sunlight.

It was December, so it wasn't exactly hanging out by the pool weather, but they found a nice indoor/outdoor poolside restaurant that looked very inviting and a good place to gossip.

Tony and Ziva sat at two stools at the bar. Another couple slipped into the chairs next to them. "Two Sam Adams, please!" The man who just sat down requested. Tony and Ziva looked over and smiled. Stan and Dana smiled back and then returned to their menus.

Tony looked at Ziva. "I know we are on an op, so we probably shouldn't be drinking any alcohol." "Not stopping Stan and Dana." Ziva replied under her breath.

"Excuse me," Tony spoke to the bartender. "One non-alcoholic beer for me and a fun-fruity non-alcoholic drink for my beautiful bride."

The Bartender looked at the signed slip, charging the drinks to their room. "DeMarco? Didn't they tell you? All drinks for newlyweds are on the house. Sure you don't want to…uh, upgrade a little bit?"

Tony and Ziva both looked surprised. "No, we hadn't heard. I'm going back to Afghanistan in a week, so I don't want to fail any tests. My gorgeous bride here; we are working on a baby before I get too old to run after them." Ziva snickered at that.

"Hey, did I hear you say you are newlyweds? Congratulations!" Stan stuck out his hand for Tony to shake. Tony smiled. "One whole day! I'm Tony by the way and this is my wife, Ziva." Tony had a sudden odd sensation, just referring to Ziva as his wife was mind-boggling.

Ziva smiled and took Stan's hand. "Very nice to meet you…?"

"Sam and this is my wife Danielle. We spent our honeymoon here and come back every year for our anniversary."

"What a lovely tradition!" Ziva exclaimed. "We are being watched." She said under her breath. Stan/Sam nodded, putting his arm around Dana/Danielle and whispering in her ear.

Tony had noticed the almost silent exchange with Stan, so he moved closer to Ziva and kissed her on the cheek and clinked her glass. "What's up?" He whispered as he kissed her.

Ziva move her lips to his, but her eyes were slowly looking around. "In the far corner of the bar, early thirties, wearing glasses. Really perked up when he heard we were newlyweds. Could be nothing." Tony had had his eyes closed, but as they finished their kiss he cupped her face as if looking deeply in her eyes, but was gazing slightly toward the corner Ziva had indicated. "Uh, huh."

"Sam" and "Danielle" stood up. "Enjoy your honeymoon. One nice thing about this place is that they let you walk around with your drinks." He winked at Ziva and they left.

About fifteen minutes later, Ziva turned to Tony. "Sweetheart, can we go back to our room? You know I promised Dad we'd call." Tony rolled his eyes. "In-laws." Ziva just chuckled. "I promise it won't be long."

Tony stood up, grabbed their drinks and they headed back to their room. Inside they found Stan and Dana doing a sweep and inspection to see if there had been any changes to the room during their absence.

Dana looked up. "Hi! Having fun?" Tony grinned.

They discussed the young man at the bar and agreed that he looked suspicious but the plan was to get the entire group, and not capture one and hope he blabs. Tony grabbed his phone and called Gibbs.

'Hi, D-a-d….." Tony schmoozed into the phone. "Oh, we're having a great time. Lots to see and do; that is if we ever actually leave this hotel room. I…wha…?" Ziva grabbed the phone out of Tony's hand. "We have a person of interest, but we will just watch him. According to the other scenarios, if there is an attempt to steal our jewelry, it will be tonight."

"Just don't initiate any action, Ziva, got that?" Gibbs was stern. "Yes, Daddy." She said, sweetly. Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Abbs has something for you. Hang on." The phone went silent for a few seconds, then Abby was on the other end.

"How's the adorable couple doing?" She asked. "We're doing fine Abbs." Tony answered, his ear pressed to Ziva's. They didn't want to risk speaker phone in case anyone walked by. "Gibbs said you had something for us."

Abby nodded. "I've been going through all of the lab results on our victims. Unfortunately, the ones who were 'only robbed,'" They could both picture Abby making big quotation marks with her hands, "were not checked out medically as they did not appear to be injured. Big stupid in my book."

Abby took a deep breath. "Our murdered couple was dosed with Rohypnal. The husband must have come out of it quicker as he was definitely conscious when he was murdered. The wife was either still unconscious or just coming out of it and they didn't want a witness.

"Date-rape drug?" Tony responded to Abby's report. Stan and Dana looked up at that. "The drug also has amnesiac effects. The wife may have never remembered seeing any of them."

"I guess that they were not willing to take that chance." Ziva added, obviously troubled by this turn of events. She understood the odds of being killed in a fair fight, but this…this was slaughter.

Gibbs broke back in. "Let me talk to Tony. Alone." Ziva handed him over the phone. "Tony, don't give away too much in your answers."

"I know, we miss you too Dad." Tony replied.

"How did Ziva take the news about the Rohypnal?"

"Well, you know how I am. If I don't get to see one of my games I get really pissed."

"Pissed enough to do something stupid? Like make this her personal crusade?"

"Well, I can't help it. I feel like the Nat's are my personal team, I mean they are in our backyard. When an ump makes a stupid call like that, I want to go and make him pay for my team losing. It's only fair, right? To want to hurt those idiots? Who do they think they are?"

Gibbs sighed. "That's what I thought. I don't care how you do it, Tony. Do not let Ziva out of your sight."

"Damn straight, Boss. Glad you feel exactly the same way. By the way, the food here is great."

Gibbs chuckled, knowing Tony had to say something very DiNozzo before Ziva got too suspicious; assuming she already wasn't. "OK, give me back to Ziva." Tony handed Ziva back the phone. "What? He probably just wants to tell his little girl he misses her." He grinned when he said it, hoping she would shift her mood.

"Hi." She said softly. "Ziver, keep an eye on Tony for me, ok? I don't want him going all Senior Field Agent on us and going after these guys. They are to come to you. Promise me you will stick close to him, please?"

Ziva was taken surprise at Gibbs' request. "Of'course. I will never leave his side. Good bye."

After they hung up, Tony and Ziva looked at each other. "He sure was talkative. Maybe he does miss me."

They filled Stan and Dana in on what Abby had learned although they had been able to piece most of it together from their responses on the phone.

"Ok, so the question is: Where were they when they were drugged and how was it delivered?"

"Well, that should be obvious." Dana broke in. Stan looked at her, indicating she should continue. "Well, it can't be anywhere on the grounds. How are they going to get two drugged people back into their rooms? Unless they were drugged enough to look very drunk and our thieves were helpfully taking them back to their room. Damn." She frowned.

Tony shook his head. "I think they were drugged in their rooms and the easiest way would be through food or drink and that means…"

"Room Service." They all said at once.

Tony looked Ziva. "We ordered room service at least, what, three times last night?"

Stan snickered at that. Tony just glared at him. "We clearly weren't drugged."

"Yes, but the attacks always occurred on the second night. So…room service tonight?"

"And then what? Play like the food tester for the King? I don't want anyone to get that drug into their system." This was Stan who made the protest.

Tony scratched his head. "Is there any quick and dirty test that will let us know if something has been laced with the drug without us having to consume it?" They all shook their heads. "Not that I am aware of, anyway." Dana added.

They all looked at each other and realized they had to take the risk. "Ok, Ziva and I will play Honeymooner's again tonight, ordering room service since we will not be leaving our bed." Reluctantly, the plan was agreed upon, with Stan and Dana on constant watch in their room.

**10PM**

"Room Service," Came after the polite knock. Tony wrapped a robe around him, fingering his sig in his pocket, and answered the door. The young man wheeled in the cart, delicious aromas coming from the covered plates. Just as Tony was handing him the tip, the server interrupted him. "Just one more second, Sir." He stepped out and returned with a full magnum of Champagne in a bucket of ice. "Complements of the Inn. A tradition for all of our newlyweds. We always wait until the second night." The server left.

Tony looked at the cart of food. He was really hungry. If he thought last night was something, he had already been blown away by tonight and it was only 10pm. Ziva was taking a shower. He moved the Champagne into the bedroom. Knowing she would be a few more minutes, he threw on some clothes and contacted Stan and Dana.

The couple came over and they all looked over the food. It was almost like being a kid and saying "I double dog dare you!" No one really wanted to risk the danger, but if this food was drugged, they would be knocked out. They could just pretend, but it would be nice to know whether or not they needed to.

Just then Ziva came out of the shower. She had heard the voices in the other room, so she knew to be dressed. She was pleasantly surprised to see the chilled bottle of Champagne in the ice bucket by the bed. "Leave it to Tony to figure something like this out." It was a very expensive bottle of Champagne. Smiling, she expertly popped the cork with minimal sound, and poured two glasses. She took a sip, then another larger sip, chuckling to herself. She filled her glass back up to look like it was still full.

As Tony, Stan and Dana were talking, Tony's phone rang. "Tony."

"Tony! It's Abby! I did some digging with the Inn and found out that they have been losing inventory on a certain item. It is very expensive and not commonly ordered. They've had to replace their stock twice in the last six months."

"What is it Abby, is it some special fish or caviar or something?" Tony was looking at a seafood dish that had just been sent to his room.

"No Tony. It's Champagne! What newlywed couple doesn't drink Champagne? Considering the price, they must have come up with some scheme, like it was complimentary or on the house or something…Tony?" Tony had dropped the phone and ran into the bedroom, Stan and Dana on his heels.

Standing at the bed was Ziva, holding two full glasses of Champagne. But Tony instinctively knew Ziva had already drunk some. See looked at him, said "Tony" softly, and collapsed on the floor.

"Ziva!" Tony ran to her side. Dana took over. "This is going to be gross, but we've got to try to get her to throw up. She can't have drank that much yet and it hasn't been in her system long. Come on!" She yelled at Tony.

Tony looked up startled. He picked up Ziva and ran into the bathroom with her. "Ok, hold her up like she is really throwing up. If _you_ start throwing up, do it in the waste bin." Dana pushed it toward him. Gently, Dana stuck her finger down Ziva throat, hoping for a gag reflex. It took several tries, and she was about to give up when Ziva finally heaved up the contents of her stomach.

Tony was shaking. "We have to abort; I have got to get Ziva to the hospital. I am not staying here waiting for some guys to try to steal these rings from us."

During this drama, Stan had picked up the dropped phone and apologized to Abby. "Got to go, we'll be in touch." He then grabbed his own phone.

Gibbs and McGee were outside in the van, getting ready to monitor whatever events were to occur that night when Gibbs' cell rang.

"Gibbs" He answered. "What's up Stan?"

"Boss, we've got a situation here." Gibbs sat up at that, causing Tim to stop what he was doing. Gibbs had a sinking feeling in his gut.

"What happened?"

"The good news is Abby was able to figure out that the couples were being given the drug through Champagne."

"And the bad news?"

Stan sighed. "Ziva drank some it before we got the Intel. She's collapsed. Dana was able to get her to throw up, but she is still out. Tony wants to abort and take Ziva to the hospital."

Gibbs rubbed his face. "So they are planning to come tonight."

"Looks that way, Boss." Stan answered honestly.

"OK, Stan, you are the Senior Field Agent there. What do you want to do." Stan was quiet for a few minutes. "I have to agree with Tony that Ziva needs to go to the hospital. We don't know what they used, what strength…hell, we know nothing about this. I think Dana and I should take their places. We'll keep our faces covered as much as possible in case Tony and Ziva are known to them. If they realize we are not them, we'll shoot their kneecaps off."

Despite himself, Gibbs chuckled. "OK, put Tony on the phone."

Stan walked over to Tony who was still on the bathroom floor with Ziva, trying to get her to wake up. Silently, he handed over the phone.

"I really screwed up, Boss. And now Ziva…"

"Tony, listen to me. McGee and I are going to get in there and get you and Ziva out so you can take her to the hospital. Stan and Dana will finish the op in your place. Give them the rings, Tony."

"OK, Boss." He looked at Stan and Dana. "Can you give us a second?"

Stan and Dana returned to the living room, where Stan went over the change in plans with Dana.

In the bathroom, Tony fought through his tears as he removed his wedding band. "I feel like I'm deserting you, like we're no longer married; which I know is stupid since we really weren't married in the first place." Gently, he took Ziva's left hand in his, and removed the two rings. He couldn't stop the tears that fell unchecked down his cheeks. "I love you, Ziva. You have to be alright." He kissed her.

Decision made, Tony went into action mode. He quickly got up and picked up Ziva. He got to the living room and indicated to Stan to let them into their room next door. Not twenty seconds later, Gibbs and McGee showed up and were directed to the room. Gibbs hovered over Ziva. "Tony, I don't think we can risk an ambulance. There's a hospital five minutes down the road. Tim, you take Tony and Ziva then get your ass back here. Tony, the rings?"

Sighing, Tony handed the rings over to Stan. "Good luck, Stan, Dana. Get them for us."

Stan clapped Tony on the shoulder.

Without discussion, the Gibbs' team made their way down the back stairwell and out into the waiting car without being noticed. The Van was currently unoccupied, but Gibbs would send McGee back there when he returned. "McGee you better drive." Gibbs said. "You know how to use those GPS things. You should be able to find the hospital in no time.

Tim arrived at the hospital in ten minutes, pulling up to the ED. Tony ran inside with Ziva in his arms. Despite his occasional incoherence, the ED staff recognized that Ziva needed to be brought right back and tended to.

"Tony?" McGee was standing next to his chair. "Get back there, Tim. They need you. Thanks, for everything." Tony thought for a minute. "Uh, unless you already have, don't say anything to Abby just yet, please?"

"Sure thing, Tony." McGee touched his shoulder and returned to the hotel.

**7am**

Tony was sitting by Ziva's beside. She had finally been admitted to a room. They had kept her in one of their critical ED beds all night. They pumped her stomach and gave her Narcan, in the hopes of reversing the narcotic effect.

Ziva remained stubbornly unconscious for several hours, until around 5am she started to stir. She looked totally confused and frightened. Tony was worried she might revert to her post-Somalia traumatic episodes, but once she realized he was there and recognized him, he could feel the tension melt off of her.

He gently rubbed her forehead, pushing back errant curls that kept falling into her eyes. "Hi." He said softly.

"Tony? Where am I? Did I get shot?" Tony looked up at that in surprise. "No, no. But you are in the hospital. What's the last thing you remember?"

Ziva closed her eyes thinking. "I remember coming out of the shower and hearing voices. So I got dressed. I saw your surprise."

"My surprise?" Tony asked.

"Yes, the champagne. I opened it up and poured us both a glass. I took a couple of sips of mine and then…" She frowned. "That's the last I think I remember."

Tony nodded. "It was the champagne all the time, sent to the newlyweds as a gift from the management. Of'course, the management didn't realize they were sending it. One of the employees in the kitchen was handling that part of the operation."

Ziva looked horrified. "I was drugged? I took the Rohypnal?"

Tony nodded soberly, then laid his head on her stomach. "I thought I was going to lose you." He couldn't hide the catch in his voice. Ziva brought his face up to hers, looking in his eyes. "Tony…"

That did it. Tony broke down and lost it in front of the woman he so desperately loved. She caressed his hair and sang a song to him that almost sounded like a lullaby.

By the time Gibbs and McGee had finished up what they needed to do with the closed case, they headed over to the hospital. When they found Ziva's room, she was looking out the window. Tony was in bed with her, his left arm around her shoulders, and his right arm across her waist, sound asleep. She turned to look toward them when they entered the room.

They both looked exhausted, but satisfied. Gibbs went over to Ziva and kissed her on her forehead. "Don't scare me like that again."

"I didn't do it on purpose, and that champagne would have been last on my list as a susceptible means for delivery. I could see it if it had already been poured and the drugs had been put in the drinks. How did they get the drug in the bottle?

McGee pulled up a chair. "They liquefied it and were able to use a very small gauged needle to pierce the cork without interfering with the integrity of the champagne."

"How are you feeling?" Tim asked, looking at Tony sprawled across her.

Ziva looked embarrassed. "Like a rookie; stupid, embarrassed, angry I was not able to carry out my mission." She turned to Gibbs. "I am so sorry for letting you down."

Gibbs took her hand. "You did not let me down, so get that out of your head right now. I think the only person who feels let down right now is DiNozzo, since the rest of your honeymoon got cancelled."

Ziva shook her head softly. "I do not think that was his biggest concern, Gibbs. He thought I was going to die." She looked at him, as if that remark explained why he was in bed with her, as if he was protecting her from the world.

Gibbs shook his head. "I know, Ziver. We were all worried." Ziva looked a little stunned by that revelation, and she turned to McGee for confirmation. Solemnly, Tim shook his head yes.

**Williamsburg Inn and Resort**

They had been right: Samuel Evans, Jr. had been the one selecting the victims, and then forwarding the information to his accomplices, who worked at the Inn. Ziva accidently ingesting the drug gave them the advanced knowledge that the theft would happen that night.

The perpetrators gained entrance with a master key. Hearing the loud snores, they chuckled to themselves and began to talk openly since they had no fear of waking up these two. One of them went to the male first, who was helpfully on his right side with his left arm hanging down off the bed. "Piece of cake!" He exclaimed triumphantly.

He went over to the other side to help his partner, in case the wife woke up and they needed to subdue her. Like her husband, she was on her right side, completely covered up. The thieves gently lifted the covers to where her hand should be. "Got it!" One of them exclaimed. Suddenly they heard a voice. "Like what you see?"

They both froze as Gibbs sat up in bed, his sig trained between the eyes of the one holding onto the rings, which were fake since Ziva's rings never would have gone on his fingers.

"Freeze! Federal Agents!" Turning their heads, they saw McGee and Dana standing there, the door between the two rooms open, guns in hand. By this time, Stan had gotten out of the other side of the bed and was slapping handcuffs on. Gibbs got out of bed.

The two looked at each other, totally shocked and one almost in tears. "I don't get it, man. What went wrong?"

"Thinking you could use our Military men and women as targets and get away with it!" Gibbs barked in their faces. "Get them out here. Charge them with murder and attempted murder." Gibbs touched his earwig and nodded. "Evans is in custody. Let's go!"

**Washington, DC- Three Weeks Later**

Ziva had been allowed to be discharged from the hospital the next day. Tony took the opportunity to insist they move in together right away. Since Tony's apartment was larger, his was the obvious domicile.

Less than two weeks after the end of the Williamsburg Op, Ziva was completely moved in and at home with Tony. They decided not to reveal this next step just yet. More out our curiosity to see how long it would take Gibbs or Abby to figure it out than anything else.

January was turning out to be a cold month, and Tony was stamping the snow from his feet when he came back from getting the mail.

"Don't get snow on my carpet! Ziva shouted out from the kitchen.

"Oh, it's 'my carpet', is it?" Tony had a big grin on his face. He was flipping through the mail when an envelope caught his eye.

"Hey! Look at this!" He ran into the kitchen, waving it in his hand.

Ziva looked at him. "It is a letter. What is the big deal?"

Tony was holding the letter and walking circles around Ziva.  
"Oh, it is not just any letter. It was from the State of Virginia. It's our marriage certificate!"

Ziva smile indulgently at Tony. "That is wonderful. Now you have something new to add to your NCIS Memory Scrapbook." Tony just grinned at Ziva and carefully opened the letter.

He put the certificate on the counter and started reading it. After a while, Ziva noticed that Tony was being unusually quiet. Ziva stopped putting dishes in the dishwasher and turned to look at him.

"Tony, are you ok?" Tony slowly turned around to face Ziva. The look on this face was totally unreadable to Ziva. He looked scared, excited and, fear? Ziva touched his face. "Tony, what is wrong?"

Silently, he handed Ziva the license. She looked at him confused, but took it. "Read it." Ziva started to scan the document. She looked back up at him. "What do you want me to look at, because I don't understand."

"Look at it again, Ziva. Read it carefully." Ziva sighed and carefully reread every word of the document. Suddenly, she took in a deep breath and looked at Tony. "Does this mean what I think this means?"

Silently, Tony took it back from her and they looked at it together. "Yes, it does." Tony answered. He looked at Ziva. "According to this, Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David were married on December 28, 2012."

Ziva's eyes were as big as saucers. "Ziva, you and I are legally married."

_**Holy Cow! And now we can head into our next spoiler, which is one listed earlier on: "Alas, it may not be all fun ahead for the gorg' NCIS agent" Says Glasberg, "There will be a big sort of turn — an unexpected reveal — for Ziva about halfway through the season." Now, since then, all I've heard about is something similar for Vance, so I don't know the original spoiler was wrong or not, but it's what I am going with. **_


	8. Chapter 8

_**He put the certificate on the counter and started reading it. After a while, Ziva noticed that Tony was being unusually quiet. Ziva stopped putting dishes in the dishwasher and turned to look at him.**_

"_**Tony, are you ok?" Tony slowly turned around to face Ziva. The look on his face was totally unreadable to Ziva. He looked scared, excited and, fear? Ziva touched his face. "Tony, what is wrong?"**_

_**Silently, he handed Ziva the license. She looked at him confused, but took it. "Read it." Ziva started to scan the document. She looked back up at him. "What do you want me to look at, because I don't understand." **_

"_**Look at it again, Ziva. Read it carefully." Ziva sighed and carefully reread every word of the document. Suddenly, she took in a deep breath and looked at Tony. "Does this mean what I think this means?"**_

_**Silently, Tony took it back from her and they looked at it together. "Yes, it does." Tony answered. He looked at Ziva. "According to this, Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David were married on December 28, 2012."**_

_**Ziva's eyes were as big as saucers. "Ziva, you and I are legally married."**_

_**Holy Cow! I apparently am not the only one not overwhelmed by the premiere. A lot did not make sense, but no use ranting. My original next promonition was to follow what I just did, but I decided to go back in time and write about the spoiler regarding the photos Tony finds. Hope you enjoy it.**_

Vignette Four: "Who I Am."

Tony wiped the sweat off of his forehead. His father informed him he would be coming for a short visit in early December, so he decided to go through some old boxes that he had stored for ages, looking to see if there was anything his father might possibly want.

After five hours and just as many beers, he finally hauled the last box out of the closet. It looked different than the others; more beat up, like it had been through multiple moves.__

Tony grabbed the box cutter and cut through the tape. Carefully, he pealed back the box tops and peered inside. He pulled out an old sweater, which caused him some confusion. It was a female sweater.

He tentatively held it up to his nose and took a sniff. Unbelievably, he felt tears in his eyes as he realized he recognized the smell. "Mom…" he whispered.

**GIBBS' HOUSE**

Gibbs looked up as Tony descended the steps to his basement. Normally, he would have gone right back to whatever he had been doing, but the look on Tony's face stopped him in his tracks. He walked over to meet Tony as he reached the bottom step.

"DiNozzo?" Gibbs looked at his Senior Agent with concern. Silently, Tony handed him the sweater. Gibbs looked at Tony as he took the sweater. "Is this supposed to mean something to me?"

Tony's eyes were so haunted that Gibbs led him over to a chair to sit down. "What is this about, Tony?" Tony looked up at Gibbs.

"It belonged to my mother, Gibbs." Tony choked out.

Understanding dawned on Gibbs' eyes. He carefully handled the sweater, looking closely at it. "How do you know it belonged to your mother, Tony?"

Tony looked away, afraid his emotions would take over. "I could still smell her." He looked up at Gibbs. "I remember my mother's scent." Tony looked lost.

Gibbs sighed and placed his hand on Tony's shoulder. "Where did you get this?"

Tony shrugged. "I was going through a bunch of old boxes at home. You know, Spring Cleaning, except of'course it's Fall. It was in the last box."

Gibbs continued to examine the sweater. "Was there anything else in the box?"

Tony shook his head. "Once I found the sweater and realized…I couldn't look any more. But there is more stuff in there. I think this box belonged to my mom, it's her stuff."

Gibbs nodded. "Hurts, doesn't it?" Tony nodded numbly. Gibbs leaned in close to him. "I want you to listen to me, Tony. You have been given a gift here. You need to finish going through that box. You need see what else is in there. What you find may be painful, but it also may end up being the most wonderful miracle that you could have ever imagined."

Tony looked away briefly, then looked at Gibbs and nodded. "I just needed some air." Gibbs shook his head. "Door's always open."

"Thanks, Boss." Tony slowly headed back up the steps and headed home.

**TONY'S APARTMENT**

Tony slowly pulled out his keys and opened his front door. The box was still in the middle of the living room floor, unchanged from the way he had left it. Sighing, he made his way to the box and plopped himself down on the floor in front of it.

Taking a deep breath, he began pulling items from the box. Old Theatre tickets from long-ago Broadway shows; a hand-crocheted baby sweater and hat; a family Bible, dog-eared with certain page corners turned down, showing favorite verses.

Looking in deeper, Tony pulled out a small box. Inside was a lock of hair taped to a card, a baby's birth announcement in the newspaper, and a tiny bracelet of blue and white beads, showing "DiNozzo" on the side. Tony lost it at that point and realized he found the small, precious items from his birth that his mother treasured. He fingered the items carefully; almost afraid he could somehow break them. He then realized the baby sweater and hat had been his.

He sat back away from the box, to catch his breath. _"How could I have had all this all these years and not known?" _He berated himself. _"Am I that self-absorbed, that if it isn't in my face and about me, I pay no attention to it?" _

Reluctantly, he returned to the box and reached down toward the bottom. He frowned when he his hand touched something hard. Grabbing the item, he pulled it out of the box. He stared at it for a while, not sure at first he had what he thought he had. It was an old Kodak camera.

He turned it around and around, taking in every aspect of this. "I remember this camera!" Tony murmured to himself, shocked. He gently put it down. He didn't know anything about anything resembling this camera, but he wanted to know about it. McGee? He probably would know exactly when it was manufactured and when it ceased production.

A sudden thought occurred to him. _"What if there was film inside yet to be developed?"_ That random thought made the decision for him: Abby.

**ABBY'S LAB**

Tony paced nervously as he waited for Abby to arrive to work. Finally, she showed up. "Tony! What are you doing in here? Do we already have a case I don't know about?"

Tony looked around; to make sure no one was in listening distance. "Sort of. Call it a 'Secret Case.'" Quietly, Tony handed the camera over to Abby. Abby looked intrigued as she grabbed the camera. "Tony this is so cool! Where did you get this?" Abby grinned as she looked up at Tony, but her smile faded when she saw Tony's expression.

She stepped closer to him. "Tony, are you ok?"

Tony looked down briefly, and then looked back up at Abby, his eyes intense. "What is this?" Abby asked, her voice shaking.

"It was my Mom's. Abby, I need to know if there is still film in there, film that can be developed."

Abby hugged Tony. "Oh my God, Tony. I can't begin to imagine what you are feeling right now." Just as suddenly, she changed gears. "Ok! Let's see what's in this baby!"

She took the camera over to her workstation. After looking at it carefully and using some sort of instrument Tony didn't recognize, Abby turned to face him. "Tony, there is definitely film in here. In fact, I think the roll is done; it was just never taken out of the camera to be developed."

Tony considered what Abby just told him. "Can you develop it?"

Abby looked nervous. "Tony, this is really old film. It may not stand up to the chemicals. What's on here could be lost."

"Abby," Tony said quietly. "They're lost as long as they are still in the camera." He touched her arm. "I trust you, Abby. And I won't get mad if we lose what we have here. I want to take the chance."

Abby took a deep breath. "Are you absolutely sure?" Tony nodded. Abby nodded. "Ok. Go away for a while. I will be more nervous is you are hanging over my shoulder while I am doing this."

**NCIS BULLPEN**

Reluctantly, Tony headed upstairs to the bullpen. To his surprise, no one else was in yet. He wasn't sure he wanted the attention of being the first in, so he headed for the men's room.

Ziva arrived next, closely followed by Tim. They made no comment about Tony not being there, because they didn't expect him to be there. However, out of the corner of her eye, Ziva could see that Tony's gear bag was already at his desk. She narrowed her eyes, wondering where he was.

Just as she was thinking this thought, Tony sauntered in, as if he was just arriving at work. "Morning early birds! You do know that you are not impressing anyone by getting here at 0-dark thirty. Where I, on the other hand, get another hour of beauty sleep in."

"In that case, DiNozzo, you better go back to bed." Tim responded.  
Tony pretended to be hurt, but was pleased they fell for his story.

He didn't realize that Ziva was staring at him intently; trying to figure out what he was up to. Tony had clearly lied about just arriving into work, and that disturbed her more than she wanted to admit.

Every once in a while, Tony would look up at Ziva and smile, but she had this strange look on her face. He hoped he hadn't done something really stupid. They both agreed that they needed to keep up the façade that nothing had changed between them, so Tony had "appropriately" lusted after the Navy Facilities Manager "Judy, Judy, Judy" for the entire time she was there overseeing the repairs to their workplace, since that is what he would have done had things were back to "normal."

Tim certainly bought into it. Ziva didn't seem to mind, it was mostly her idea anyway. Of'course, knowing she would occasionally be with him some of those nights probably helped. He thought he had to make that final act to "close the deal" to keep his image intact, but he had to be honest with himself; although he would have found some reason to cancel if she had said yes, he was frankly hurt that she clearly was not interested in him. And then when she revealed she was already in a relationship and she said she had been "sport flirting," that really bothered him.

He never wanted Ziva to feel he was really flirting with someone else, especially once they decided whether or not they decided to go public with, whatever it was they had at the moment.

The fact that Judy had murdered Midge scared him more than he cared to admit. He was so busy playing the part of enamored suitor; he never caught any vibe that suggested she was capable of such violence. That no one else had picked up on it either did not matter in the equation: He, Very Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, missed a very important clue and he felt he had somehow let Midge down.

And then, during the interrogation of Ray Wilson, the applicant who had been turned down by Midge, Ray referred to Tony as like the "whipped boyfriend, the lovesick puppy that was hanging on over Midge and her every word." Tony and Ziva looked at each other, both thinking how could a total stranger pick up they were together, yet their friends and co-workers had not? Plus, Gibbs and Vance where on the other side of the glass. Thankfully, no one brought it up later.

Ziva watched Tony as he worked, trying to puzzle through her mind why he would lie about getting into work earlier than she and Tim. Although it could be a part of their plan to keep things as close as possible to how it was before the bombing, then it didn't make sense for him to be so careless for him to leave his bag at his desk, which wouldn't have been there if he wasn't there.

She wasn't angry at him for being careless, but she was worried that he would come in so early and be so distracted that he would forget to take his bag back out with him. She looked up at him again, only this time he wasn't smiling; he looked worried. She realized he had noticed her concern and was now probably thinking he pissed her off or something. She glanced over at McGee, who was engrossed in something on his computer. Gibbs was in Vance's office.

She turned back to Tony. Smiling, she placed her right hand over her heart. Sure enough, Tony broke into a big grin. He had been worried he did something wrong, which usually meant something stupid. It was "their" sign that all was good with them, that they were in each other's heart. It didn't exactly mean "I love you;" they were nowhere near that point yet; but it was a fun way for them to communicate their new feelings for each other without anyone else knowing. Tony repeated the sign back to her.

Just then, he got a text from Abby to come downstairs. He stood up abruptly, knocking several papers off of his desk. This time, Ziva couldn't take it. She got up and walked over to his desk.

He put on a fake smile. "Hey, I'm cool. Just a real klutz today, that's all." Ziva scrutinized his face. "What is going on, Tony?"

Tony looked deeply into her eyes. "Not now, Ziva. Later. I promise I will tell you everything." Seeing the crease between her eyes and the worry in her face, he touched her hand and moved it under his desk where they couldn't be seen. "Trust me. I am fine. We are fine. I just have something I need to take care of."

Ziva sighed and squeezed his hand. "Ok." She whispered. She headed back to her desk and pretended to go back to work. Tony picked up his papers and placed them neatly on his desk, then headed for the elevator.

**ABBY'S LAB**

As soon as he got off the elevator, he could sense the change, almost like the air pressure was different, the room felt heavier. Slowly, he walked over to Abby, who was standing by her workstation waiting for him.

Tony sighed. "It's ok, I know you tried."

Abby put her hands on Tony's shoulders. "First of all, how could you not believe in my super abilities? Second of all, I have something amazing to give to you, but I think you should sit on my chair here."

Tony gave Abby a curious look, not quite sure what she was up to. "Tony, I was able to develop almost every frame that was in this camera." She looked closely at him. "I don't know this for sure, but I am thinking that maybe these were the last photos taken of you and your Mom."

"What?" Tony's voice was barely audible. Abby handed him a sealed package. "I don't want you to look at these at work. I think you should be at home, someplace comfortable." She started pacing the room. "Tony, would you like my opinion?" Tony looked up, feeling totally lost and confused. "Yes?"

Abby smiled at the answer. "I would look at these by yourself for the first time. It's going to be hard on you to see these and I know how private you are about…well, you know; 'DiNozzo men don't cry' bullshit."

Tony looked up. "You think these will make me cry?"

Abby smiled sadly. "They made me cry, and that wasn't even my mother in those photos. This is going to bring back a lot of memories, including some unhappy ones. You need to get it all out before you share these with anyone else."

Tony nodded. "Ok, that makes sense." He shot his head up. "Hey, there aren't any embarrassing photos in here, you know, like of my mom and dad…?"

Abby started giggling. "Oooohhh…no Tony; although you might find childhood photos squirm-worthy, there is nothing to be ashamed of. They are all beautiful pictures." She paused. "Can I offer another piece of advice?"

"You're doing great so far, Abbs."

Abby looked at Tony, looking into his eyes, conveying how serious what she was about to say was. "After you have looked through these pictures and have gotten the chance to…feel comfortable with them; you should share them with someone, someone important to you."

"These pictures are a part of who you are, Tony. It's your choice who you share them with, but it should be someone who you really care about, someone who really cares about you, and will be able to comfort you if you need it."

Tony swallowed, nervous. If he was a betting man, who actually he was; he would take odds that Abby knew about him and Ziva. But she never said her name, just "someone important to you."

Tony fingered the package and thought about what Abby said. He went over to her and gave her a hug. "Thank you Abby, for saving a part of my past."

Before Tony left work, he spoke briefly with Ziva. He told her he had to do something that night, but he really wanted her to come over later. Ziva sensed the tension in Tony, but didn't push him.

"Of'course I will come over. Is nine too late?" Tony smiled. Ziva always asked if a certain hour was too early or too late to meet. She was far more considerate than he was and once again, couldn't believe that she tolerated him at all.

Before the elevator reached the garage level, Tony switched the "off" button. Ziva raised an eyebrow. Tony just hugged her. "I feel like I've ignored you all day and I have been wanting to do this for hours."

Ziva melted into his arms. "You have had an upsetting day, for some reason. I want to know what I can do to make it better." Tony kissed her. "You just did. My house. 9 pm. Be there." He gave her another quick kiss, then released the elevator stop button. They proceeded to their own separate cars as if it was the end of a normal day.

**TONY'S APARTMENT. **

Tony sat and stared at the package, not sure where to begin. Finally, he opened the clasp and dumped the photos on the table. There were about twenty-two, the color indicative that they were from the 70's.

At first, he laughed at the fashions they were wearing, if "fashion" was the correct term. He spread the pictures out, trying to find a time sequence, because they were not all taken at the same time.

What struck Tony immediately was how beautiful his mother was. He hadn't remembered that. Children don't really understand adult beauty; hell, kids think "Barbie" is beautiful. She had lighter hair than he remembered, but her eyes…He had always thought he had taken after his father, but it was clear his hazel green eyes were definitely from his mom. It made him really happy to know that they shared something, even if it was only eye color.

After studying the photos for a while, a bit of a theme started to come through. Tony sat back, at a loss for words. He didn't consider himself a complicated man, but he had his quirks and his fascination with all things cinema. He never thought about why he had this connection with movies, it just _"was." _The light knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He straightened up the pictures, and went to let Ziva in.

"Hi." She said softly. He leaned down and kissed her softly. "I'm glad you were able to come tonight." He grabbed her hand and led her to the sofa. He went into the kitchen and came back with glasses of wine.

Ziva smiled softly, realizing Tony only resorted to wine when he really needed support about something. She placed her hand on his. "Tell me what happened."

Tony waved his hands over the photos. "This…this is what happened." Looking at Tony for permission to pick up a photo. Gently, she picked up the one closest to her. Against her will, she started giggling. "Is this you?" She looked at Tony, totally surprised.

Tony couldn't help but smile as well. "Yeah, I was about seven. I found a camera accidently. I took it to Abby to see if there was any film in it and if it was salvageable. She developed all of these for me."

Ziva watched his face, nodding. Now she knew why he came in early and why he was so anxious all day. Tony then started pointing out other pictures, slowly telling a story of a very short period of his young life.

"Tony. This is your mother." Ziva all of a sudden realized the importance of what she was looking at. The next thing she noticed is that there seemed to be a lot of pictures of the two of them in costume, as if acting out…movies? Ziva looked questioningly at Tony. "Now you see where I get my movie fetish from."

Ziva shook her head. This was a bit of a surprise. "You were a very cute little boy, Tony. I am sure you had many girlfriends." Tony put his arm around her. "I wasn't that interested at that age, and once Mom died and Dad started shipping me around…" Ziva put her fingers on his lips. "You have your mother's eyes." Tony's eyes got huge at that, and to his embarrassment, tears started forming.

"Oh, Tony, I am sorry. I did not mean to upset you." She pulled his head down to her shoulder and stroked his hair.

Tony allowed Ziva to comfort him for a few minutes, then straightened up. "I didn't expect to get emotional about this."

They sat together looking over the pictures. "Tony, thank you for sharing these with me. I am honored. God, that sounds corny."

Tony laughed and hugged her, but then became serious. "Abby said I should look at them alone first, to get over the shock of seeing what was on them, then I should share them with someone, someone important to me."

"These pictures are part of who I am, Ziva. Part of my dad, part of my mom. You can see where the movie influence came from, which I didn't remember. I didn't even realize I inherited my eye color from her."

"Abby said it's was my choice who I shared them with, but it should be someone who I really care about, someone who really cares about me, and will be able to comfort me if I needed it. You are the only person who fits that description."

Ziva crushed her lips against Tony's, softly crying at his words. "Hey, why are you crying?" Ziva gave a large sniff. "Do you know how wonderful it feels to know that you are trusted, that you are cared for? I have always felt 'needed' but not necessarily 'wanted.' It is you who comforts me."

They snuggled together on the sofa and went through the pictures again. "You will make a beautiful baby, Tony." Ziva said before she realized what that meant. Tony sat up and looked at Ziva.

"Ziva David. Did you just suggest to me that I might someday be a father?" Ziva blushed. "I was just saying, I mean, you were a very cute child, so it would make sense that…" She looked at Tony, knowing she had really stepped in this one.

Tony's grin was so wide, Ziva finally had to laugh. "Ok, yes, I think you might, and I emphasize _might_, that you may someday be a father; if you can find some crazy woman willing to stick around long enough. And if you had a baby, if would be beautiful."

Tony leaned into Ziva. "Only if she had her mother's dark curly hair." Ziva looked shocked, then softly smiled. "Be careful what you wish for, Tony."

_**I doubt very seriously there will be any such sort of conversation between these two in this episode other than what has already been spoiled, that we will learn where Tony got his love of movies from. But hey, a girl can dream, right? BTW, did anyone else notice how Ziva looked like she was going to be sick in that interrogation scene and moved to the back wall, complaining about the suspect's cologne? I can't believe they would go so far as to have Tony and Ziva get pregnant, unless CdP was planning it in real life, but looked pretty suspicious to me.**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Silently, Tony took it back from her and they looked at it together. "Yes, it does." Tony answered. He looked at Ziva. "According to this, Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David were married on December 28, 2012."**_

_**Ziva's eyes were as big as saucers. "Ziva, you and I are legally married."**_

_**Holy Cow! And now we can head into our next spoiler, which is one listed earlier on: "Alas, it may not be all fun ahead for the gorg' NCIS agent" Says Glasberg, "There will be a big sort of turn — an unexpected reveal — for Ziva about halfway through the season." **_

**Sidebar: I skipped the above follow up to this to write about the spoiler that Tony** **finds ****"**_**a childhood camera containing old film; Abby helps him develop the photos, which feature images of young Tony with his mom, who died when he was a kid." **_**- ****Written as "Vignette Four"; and now, back to our Feature Presentation…**

Vignette Five- Part One

Ziva continued to look at Tony, confused. Slowly, she walked over to the sofa and sat down, staring down at her hands. Tony followed her and sat down. "Ziva? Hey, don't worry. It will be ok. We'll figure this out."

Suddenly, Ziva started to cry, not a hard, sobbing cry, just softly in her hands that were now covering her face. Tony was taken aback by this reaction. "I didn't think the idea of us actually being married would upset you this much." Tony said stiffly, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice.

Ziva immediately looked up. "Tony, it is not that. It is not that at all." She gave him one of her tender smiles that always melted him. "It is just…this was not 'my' wedding. It was a made up one and I purposely chose everything so it would not be the same should it…"

"Should it be our real wedding?" Tony stroked her hair. Ziva looked deeply into Tony's eyes and leaned into his arms, which he obligingly wrapped around her.

"Well, I had _no_ say about the wedding at all, but I can tell you this: when I said 'I will,' I meant it with all my heart; fake wedding or not."

Ziva kissed Tony lightly on the lips. "As did I. But we cannot be married after only just now deciding to move in together. It is…"

"Upside down, I know. Or ass-backward. Take your pick. The thing is Ziva, we are married, _legally_. We need to decide what to do. But not right now. Let's put this aside for a few days, then come back to it, when the shock has worn off."

Ziva nodded, reluctantly. Tony squeezed her shoulders. "Come on, let's get something to eat and talk about stupid things."

However, the day did come when they needed to talk about it. Two days later, Tony brought it up again. They were sitting in the living room, Tony channel surfing and Ziva reading a gun magazine. Reluctantly, Tony turned off the TV. Ziva looked up at him.

"Ziva, as much as I don't want to, I think we have to talk about our marriage. We have to decide what we need or better, _want_ to do about this."

Ziva straightened up. "What do you mean?" Tony looked uncomfortable. "Well, we could get it annulled or get a divorce."

Ziva looked shocked at both suggestions. "You are not serious!"

Tony held her face between his hands. "I didn't say I wanted to do either of those things. I was brought up to believe that a marriage could only be annulled if it hadn't been consummated. I don't know if that is true or not, but we clearly consummated this marriage."

"As for divorce, between my Dad and Gibbs, I've had enough divorce to last me a lifetime. I don't ever want to get a divorce." Tony sighed. "But I guess that's what everyone thinks when they first get married."

Ziva listened closely. "In the past, a Hebrew man could just decide he didn't want to be married anymore and could divorce his wife. Things are not so simple any more, but...it is not something I would choose."

"So we are back to square one. What do we do?" Suddenly, Ziva started to chuckle. Tony looked at her like she had lost her mind.

"What?"

"Can you imagine the look on Gibbs' face when we show up at work, thank everyone for their help and then say 'oh, by the way, we really are married?"

Tony had to admit it did sound pretty ludicrous. But then he thought about Gibbs. "Gibbs will kill us." He whispered, fear evident in his voice. Tony took a deep breath. "Ok, here is what I think we should do."

Ziva looked at him and waited. "You can say it, Tony. I am still sitting here."

Tony looked like he had just gone into another time zone and was jerked back. "Right. I think we should do nothing."

"Nothing."

"Yeah, let things go on as usual. We just don't mention the legally married thing, until we have really had enough time to let this sink in and make an intelligent decision about how to handle this."

"You mean lie about this."

"Ziva, we've been lying for months about our relationship. Until Gibbs gave us the go-ahead, we'd still be lying. So don't go all high and mighty on me."

Ziva looked down. "You are right. I am sorry. 'Lie' was too strong a word and I did not mean to hurt you by saying that." She was quiet for a few minutes. "I agree. We should just go on as if everything was normal."

"Everyone knows we are together and living together. We just cannot wear the wedding bands, which we have already given back anyway."

Tony felt a slight pang of regret, knowing how much he loved seeing those rings on Ziva's finger. The one thing that brightened his thoughts was that he already had a more beautiful ring ready and waiting.

**January 29, 2013**

Since they were legally married, Tony shared with Ziva what his father had given him of his mother's estate, keeping the jewelry hidden for later purposes. Much to his surprise, he discovered he owned an apartment in Manhattan, a beach house in Martha's Vineyard and a cottage on an Estate just outside of London. There were additional bank accounts, insurance policies and other legal documents that they both finally got too tired to go through.

Ziva was stunned by the wealth left to Tony by his mother. "Tony, this is overwhelming but is does not change how I feel about you. I don't want you to think that now that you have shared this with me, I will think differently of you."

"You are my Tony. I do not care about any of this, although it would be nice to spend some nights in New York or on the beach." She smiled.

Somehow, they had managed to make it through the most of January without letting it slip about the marriage snafu. Living together was proving to be an experiment, but they quickly fell into a routine so they weren't always bumping into each other.

They were careful to make sure they each had their own time and space, yet most of the time they together and so far loved it. They had even started talking of buying a house, being "responsible about his inheritance" as Tony's father put it.

**NCIS**

Even Tim had to congratulate them on how well they seemed to have adjusted to living together. "To be honest, I gave you two weeks. Abby checked the "forever" box, to no one's surprise."

Tony cocked his head. "Checked the 'forever box?' Are you saying that there is an actual pool going around about how long Ziva and I will stick together. And you gave us two weeks?"

Tim shrugged. "Anderson in HR gave you two hours."

"What!" Tony stood up. He looked at Ziva, who was laughing. "Did you know about this?"

"Of'course not, Tony. But do you not think if it was not some other couple you would have started your own betting pool?"

Tony had to grin at that. Just then, Vance called from the balcony. "Gibbs, David, my office please."

Tony looked at Ziva with alarm. Ziva just shrugged and patted his arm as she and Gibbs walked by to head upstairs.

Once they reached Vance's office, he waved them to the table, indicating they should sit down. He looked at Ziva. "This is somewhat delicate, so I hope you will bear with me." Ziva looked at Gibbs confused, who looked at her with that expression that he knew they were going to be asked to come to the office.

"Get on with it, Leon." Gibbs said, wanting to get the niceties out of the way. Vance turned to Ziva.

"Agent David, when was the last time you spoke with your father?"

Ziva was totally taken aback by the question. Whatever she thought Vance was going to say; and privately she was worried he somehow found out the "fake" marriage was "real"; her father never entered her thoughts.

She thought about it for a while and shrugged. 'I do not remember exactly. It was several months after the bombing, but certainly not recently. Why are you asking me this?"

Vance took a deep breath. "I have spoken to your father several times, in the past few months, Ziva. And I have to say to you that I am concerned."

The fact that Vance called her "Ziva" alarmed her more than anything. "What is your concern?"

He sighed and looked at Gibbs. "Ziver, Vance thinks your father may be ill. Nothing has been said, but…"

"He doesn't sound like himself, David. He sounds…weak, like he has to stop and take breaths before he continues. Of'course, it is hard to really tell over a secured international phone line."

Ziva turned to Gibbs. "You knew about this? And didn't tell me?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Director Vance briefed me this morning shortly before he called us up here." Just then they were interrupted by his administrative assistant. "They are ready for you in MTAC, Director."

Vance stood. "That's for us." Ziva and Gibbs stood up and followed Vance out. Gibbs put his hand on Ziva's arm. "I don't know what this is about, Ziva. But I am here right beside you."

Ziva felt shaken. As much as she loved Gibbs, she would much rather have Tony with her right now. She guessed "boyfriend" didn't carry as much weight as "boss."

Once they were settled in front of the screen, Vance nodded at the technician. Suddenly the screen came alive. "Malachi!" Ziva gasped.

"Shalom, Ziva. I am making this call without the knowledge of the Director, so it will be quick. Ziva, your father is very ill and you need to come home, now!"

Ziva swallowed hard and looked pale. "What is wrong with him? Why do I need to come? WHY AM I ONLY HEARING ABOUT THIS NOW?"

Malachi's expression had not changed during Ziva's tirade. He waited for her to be through before answering. "Your father is dying, Ziva. Only a bone marrow transplant will save him. It is imperative that you come home now."

This pissed off Gibbs. "Are you telling Ziva that the only reason her father wants her to come home is to get her bone marrow so he can live? He is a bigger son of a bitch than I thought."

Malachi shook his head. "Director David does not want Ziva to come at all. He does not want her bone marrow. We are asking her to come, to save our Director, who happens to be her father and therefore a better probability of a successful match. The decision is Ziva's. But if she does not come, Director David will die; soon."

Ziva finally found her voice. "First of all Malachi, Israel is not my home anymore, I was only born there. Second, why doesn't my father want me to come?"

"I do not know his reasons for not wanting you to come. Maybe he does not want you to endure whatever it takes to get bone marrow from someone. I do not have these answers for you." He looked to the left. "I must go. Please tell me you will come."

Ziva looked conflicted, then defeated. "I will come, if only to piss him off by showing up anyway!" The screen went blank.

Ziva turned to Director Vance. "That is if I have your permission to go to Israel."

"Of'course. I will arrange the transportation. We will get you there as soon as possible."

Ziva nodded. "Thank you, Director. I would like Tony to accompany me."

Both Vance and Gibbs looked at each other. "This isn't a pleasure trip, David."

"No, it is a family matter and I want and need Tony to be there."

Gibbs guided her out of the office. "Come on, Ziva."

Once Tony saw Gibbs and Ziva come out of Vance's office, he bolted up the stairs to join them. He immediately went to her side, sensing her rising stress levels. "What's wrong?"

"It would appear that my father in dying and Malachi wants me to go to Israel to give him my bone marrow." Ziva answered.

"Malachi, huh? What about your father?" Gibbs shook his head.

"Ok, are you going to do this?" Tony looked at Ziva. Ziva's shoulders sagged. "I believe it is my duty to do this." Tony hugged her. "Ok, when do we leave?"

Gibbs held up his hand. "Wait a second." He turned to Ziva, genuine regret in his eyes. "I know you want Tony to go with you, but I can't let both of you go right now in the middle of this case we are working on."

He let those words sink in. "Boss, come on! O'Brien can fill in for me." As soon as he said it, he knew it wasn't true. He turned to Ziva. "How long will this take? I mean, how long could you possibly be gone?"

Ziva looked surprised. "I do not know."

Tony looked at Gibbs. "Are we sure that this is the real story and not some lame attempt to get Ziva back?"

Gibbs rubbed his chin. "Frankly, I considered the same thought. But Leon has been talking to Eli, and he has been concerned that he has been quite ill. That's why he called us up. I think this is legitimate, Tony."

Tony turned to Ziva, very concerned. "When do you leave?" Ziva looked into his eyes, tears forming knowing he would not be able to be with her. "Director Vance he would arrange transport ASAP."

Tony turned to Gibbs. "Can you spare me long enough to take Ziva home and get her packed and…"

"Go, but don't be all day about it. I will call you to get your asses back here if you aren't back when Vance gives the go-ahead."

Tony and Ziva nodded and practically ran down the stairs to grab their stuff.

Tim looked up. "Uh, Tony, Ziva? Is everything ok?" He stood up. "Boss?"

Gibbs looked grimly at Tim. "Ziva has to return to Israel. Her father is dying. I want you to get a tracer on her so we can keep track of her every move."

"On it, Boss! Thinking there's more to this than they are letting on?"

"Just making sure there isn't, McGee. I want Ziva back."

"Is Tony going with her?" McGee asked as if it was a given and was surprised when Gibbs shook his head no.

"Oh." Tim sat down at his desk. "Ok, well, I'll keep my eye on Tony."

Gibbs had to smile at that: Tim feeling he needed to take care of Tony.

**Tony and Ziva's Apartment**

Ziva was running around, grabbing clothes and stuffing them in a suitcase. She seemed to be going in circles, not sure where to go next. Tony finally couldn't stand it anymore and held her arm. "Ziva, please. Stop."

She looked at him, her eyes wild. Slowly, her façade collapsed and she found herself enveloped in Tony's arms. "I do not like this, Tony. I want you there with me. I no longer feel safe there."

"Do you think this is a ruse to get you away from us?

"I do not know, but there are many in Mossad I do not trust."

Tony hugged her tighter. "I can't just disappear. Gibbs will know what I am doing and I really like my job, though I love you more." They held each other quietly for several moments.

"I am sure Gibbs will make sure I am monitored. He probably has McGee making up some locating device as we speak. I am not as worried about being there as I am about being able to come back home, here."

Tony held her face and kissed her deeply. "If it should come to that, I will come and get you; to hell with Vance and Gibbs. You are the love of my life. I will not lose you again."

Ziva smiled. "How much time do we have?"

Tony smiled. "How much time do we need?"

Ziva pulled him toward their bedroom. "Just enough. You can welcome me back properly when I get back home."

_**Getting back into the groove. This one is another multi-parter: too much for one chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Part two is the eye-opener for Ziva.**_


	10. Chapter 10

"_**I am sure Gibbs will make sure I am monitored. He probably has McGee making up some locating device as we speak. I am not as worried about being there as I am about being able to come back home, here."**_

_**Tony held her face and kissed her deeply. "If it should come to that, I will come and get you; to hell with Vance and Gibbs. You are the love of my life. I will not lose you again."**_

_**Ziva smiled. "How much time do we have?"**_

_**Tony smiled. "How much time do we need?"**_

_**Ziva pulled him toward their bedroom. "Just enough. You can welcome me back properly when I get back home."**_

NB: The bold italics are Hebrew translation.

Vignette Five- Part Two

**Israel**

Malachi met Ziva at the airfield. She looked around. "It is only you?"

"Yes, I told you I called without the knowledge of the Director. I could lose my job over this." Ziva glared at him. "Just take me to my father."

They arrived at a private facility. It was clearly a medical center, but more like a place for the rich and famous. Malachi answered her thoughts. "It is safer here. No press, no probing eyes from strangers." Ziva frowned at that, but followed him into the building.

They got into an elevator and Malachi inserted a card key into a slot. "This will take us up to your father's floor."

"His floor? He needs a whole floor?" Malachi just looked at Ziva. She rolled her eyes. The doors opened onto a white sterile hallway. "Lead the way. I am the stranger here."

He took her to the end of the hall and opened the double doors, again using his card. Inside were seated two Mossad agents. They stood when they saw Malachi and Ziva. They spat at Malachi. _**"The Director said not to involve his daughter!"**_

Malachi shrugged, as if he had no control over Ziva. _**"She has involved herself. We will see the Director now." **_ Clearly angry, the older of the two Mossad agents led them to another door and opened it.

Ziva walked in. The room was darkened. It took a while for her eyes to adjust to the light, but once they did, her heart almost stopped. Her father, the great Eli David, was lying in bed, multiple IV's attached to his thin frame. Some were obviously surgically implanted, but Ziva did not know the term. A nurse was seated in a chair by the window. All she knew at that moment was that what Malachi had said was true…her father was dying.

**NCIS**

Tony was pacing the floor, checking his watch every 30 seconds. "Come on, Tony. You're making me dizzy. Ziva said she would call when she got in."

"Really? Well, she should have gotten in an hour ago, even with…" Just then his cell rang.

"Ziva?"

"Yes, Tony. I am sorry I did not call sooner. I had to see my father first before I made any calls."

"And?"

"And it is true…he is dying. He is asleep. I have not spoken to him yet."

Tony swallowed and sighed deeply. "I am truly sorry, Ziva. I didn't like the man, but he _is_ your father. How are 'other' things over there? Are you getting any weird vibes?"

Ziva shrugged. "I am not sure yet. I have only been taken to this facility where he is being treated. It is not a public hospital and he has a whole floor to himself."

"The two Mossad agents guarding his room were not pleased to see me, but they told Malachi this was because they said Eli said not to involve me in this."

"Ok, I'm going to have McGee test your sensor, hang on for a second."

They had implanted a finding sensor much as they use on pets in Ziva's neck, just at the hairline. Tony jokingly called it her "Scully alien implant."

After Tim gave him the thumbs up, Tony returned to Ziva. "Ok, it's a go here. Take care of yourself and call as often as you can. You are not on a mission, so there should be no objections to you calling your hu…boyfriend or boss to check on things. Ok, love you too. Bye."

Tony looked quickly at Tim to see if he caught his almost giveaway, but genuinely felt bad she would be losing her father more than likely. _"But she'll have me, and the rest of us."_ Tony reassured himself.

**Private Israeli Healthcare Facility**

Ziva had dismissed the nurse, who left under protest. She then sat by her father's bed for several hours before he finally started to stir. At first, he did not recognize her, but once he did he became anguished. "I told them not to involve you, not to bring you here. You should go home, Ziva. Go back; to your Tony and your Gibbs and your NCIS and forget I ever existed."

"Abba, do not say such things. If I can help you, how can I not be here?" She was startled to see the tears in his eyes.

"It is because you cannot help me, Ziva. No one can. They are all gone."

"What are you talking about? I am here." But her father was shaking his head. She suddenly got a sick feeling in her stomach. "What are you saying?"

"Ziva, Ziva. I did what was best for you, for your mother. I made a promise. I fulfilled it. But I can expect nothing in return from you."

Ziva stared at her father. "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?"

Eli David turned away, but Ziva forced him to look at her. "Are you saying that you are not my father, that I am not…I am not your daughter?" Eli tears streamed down his face now, as he weakly nodded his assent.

Ziva sat back stunned. _"She was not the daughter of Eli David; she was not the daughter of Eli David…"_

She looked coldly at the Director of Mossad. "Tell me. Tell me the truth."

Eli sighed. "Your father was a member of my team. We were best friends, even though he was not Israeli." That startled Ziva. _"Her birth father was not Israeli? Who exactly was she?"_

"I was often at your house. You were such a sweet child; so full of fun and laughter. Your mother and I were also friends, but she was the wife of my best friend, nothing more. Your father made me promise that if anything should ever happen to him, I would take care of his family."

Eli coughed as he struggled to catch his breath. Ziva gave him a sip of water. "Thank you. We were on a mission. You were barely two years old. Things did not go as planned. Your father was killed."

"So you lived up to your end of the bargain and moved in with my mother?" Ziva was angry.

"Ziva, it was not as simple as that. Your mother was aware of the promise and knew I would keep it as she had also promised her husband. I took care of her and of you. We got married and we had Tali."

"And once your 'real' daughter was born, you saw your opportunity to mold me into a Mossad assassin, taking away my fun and happy childhood." Ziva was pacing the room. "I was always so hurt that you never could seem to make it to my ballet recitals, yet you were at every one of Tali's, _your_ daughter. Now I understand."

"Who was my father?" Ziva demanded. Eli shook his head. "He requested that I never tell you his name, and I will not break that promise."

"What? Why?"

"He wanted to protect you, to keep you safe. Your mother was Israeli."

"And therefore she was also Jewish. Let me guess: was he German?"

Eli shook his head. "Austrian, from the southern border near Italy. I can tell you no more about it. But there are no other siblings. You were his only child, Ziva."

"And I was never yours. You were right. I was wrong to come here. Good bye, Director David." Ziva turned and walked out.

Malachi stood up as she came out of the smaller room and followed her into the large corridor. "Malachi." She whispered. "I need to get out of here, now. I will be calling my Director to set up an extraction." Malachi's eyes widen at that. "You will not stay to help?"

She looked at Malachi, unshed tears in her eyes. "He is beyond my help."

**NCIS**

Vance answered the buzzer. "Yes?" "I'm sorry, Director. It's Agent David. She insisted I put her through to you."

"Send her through." He took a breath, wondering if this was going to be the bad news that his friend as dead. He picked up his phone on the first ring. "David?"

"Director Vance, I need Tony and Gibbs to come **now** and get me."

Vance frowned. "What?"

"I said I needed Tony and Gibbs to get me out of here!" This time Ziva sounded like she was crying. Vance didn't like crying women. He couldn't handle it when Jackie cried and sure as hell didn't know what to do when an ex-Mossad Assassin sounded like she was crying.

"Hold on, David. I'm going to get Gibbs and DiNozzo up here. I'm putting you on hold."

He called Gibbs. "Director." Gibbs answered drily. "Get yourself and DiNozzo up to my office now. David's on the phone."

Gibbs couldn't understand why Ziva would call Vance instead of himself or Tony but immediately got up. "Tony, with me. Now!"

Tony frowned but got up and followed his Boss up the stairs. "What's going on?" Gibbs looked at him. "I don't know Tony, but Ziva is on the phone in Vance's office."

Tony felt sick to his stomach. She would only call Vance and not him, or Gibbs, if something had happened, if something was really bad wrong.

"Director?" Gibbs huffed as he and Tony practically ran into his office.

Vance had the phone to his ear. "David, I'm putting you on speaker. Gibbs and DiNozzo are here." They could hear a soft sob over the line. Tony and Gibbs looked at each other concerned. Before Tony could say anything, Gibbs spoke.

"What's wrong, Ziver. It is your father?" They could almost hear Ziva shaking her head.

"I told the Director that I need you and Tony to come and get me."

Vance interrupted. "Agent David, you're exact words were you needed DiNozzo and Gibbs to get you out of there. Are you in danger? Has something happened?"

"Yes! I need an extraction and I need it now. I am no longer safe here. I WANT MY HUSBAND AND MY FATHER TO COME AND BRING ME HOME!"

Almost as a single unit, Vance and Gibbs turned to look at Tony. "My 'Husband'? Something you care to share, DiNozzo?" If Gibbs wasn't so worried about Ziva, Tony was sure he would have been kicked into the middle of next week.

Tony looked at Gibbs; he didn't care what Vance thought. "Maybe when we get my wife back!" Tony did not stand down.

"Ok, David, we will get you the details. They are on their way." He looked up and nodded at Gibbs and Tony. Tony bolted from the room, not so much as to get away from Gibbs but to grab the things he knew he was going to need.

He couldn't understand it. The last he heard from Ziva was she had just been waiting for her father to wake up so she could speak to him.

Gibbs was right behind Tony. He ran over to his desk, updating McGee. "Tony and I are flying to Israel to bring Ziva back."

"Is something wrong, Boss?" McGee stood up.

Tony answered. "Yes, but we don't what it is yet. We'll keep you informed. Get Abby on board."

"Tim," Gibbs interjected. "You keep us informed of Ziva's location at all times. We are not losing her." Tim almost heard the "again" at the end of the statement.

"On it, Boss!"

Tony and Gibbs got in the elevator together, both facing the doors. Tony was waiting for Gibbs to hit the switch but he never did. Tony looked sideways briefly at Gibbs, but immediately looked forward again. Gibbs smiled slightly.

**Rescue Flight**

The plane they were on reminded Tony of when they all went to Israel to return Michael Rivkin's body; the same trip in which Ziva did not return with them. He let out a small shudder.

"Bringing back bad memories, DiNozzo?" Tony looked at Gibbs, then look straight ahead again. "She didn't come back with us that time, Boss."

"Oh, she'll be coming home with us this time, Tony; if only so I can rake you two over the coals for getting married and not telling me."

Tony sighed. He really wanted to explain it all with Ziva there, because he knew Gibbs would take it better.

"Tony, how could you get married and not tell us? Not invite us? Not…"

"Have you walk her down the aisle?" Tony asked softly.

Gibbs looked stunned, then looked away for a second.

"The thing is Boss, you all did know, you all were there and you did walk Ziva down the aisle."

Gibbs looked at Tony like he was delusional. "What?"

"Our Williamsburg OP?" Tony looked at him.

Gibbs still stared at Tony, almost sadly like Tony was living in a fantasy world. But then that would mean that Ziva was living in that same world with him as she had called him her husband.

"That was a fake ceremony."

"Well, not as fake as we thought. When we got the marriage license three weeks later, Ziva and I got a big kick out of it, joking about putting it in our undercover scrapbook-well, Ziva actually said that. I don't scrapbook, Boss."

"The point, DiNozzo?"

Tony now looked uncomfortable and worried. "Well, everything happened so fast, McGee was shoving papers at me, telling me to fill out forms. Ziva was whisked away to find this, most amazing gown." Tony smiled in remembrance, and actually, so did Gibbs.

"Anyway, McGee gave me the license to fill out, so I did. Then I picked up Ziva from the Bridal Salon and she filled in her part, we went to the courthouse and paid the fee and that was it. Easy as pie."

Gibbs was starting to get the picture, but let Tony finish. "So anyway, we get this legal marriage license, and we are reading it and…"

"Let me guess: Anthony DeMarco and Ziva Davidson were not listed on the marriage license; instead it named Anthony DiNozzo and Ziva David as lawfully married in the state of Virginia on December 28, 2012."

"Guess you've seen one of those before, huh, boss?

"You think, DiNozzo?"

"We never realized we were putting our own names on there. In fact I I'm not even sure we knew our undercover last names at that point." Tony frowned, trying to remember.

"Ok, so you realize that you were in fact legally married. What did you do then? Go out and buy champagne?"

"That's not fair, Boss. Ziva and I were both stunned and scared beyond words. I think it was two or three days before we could even talk about it and what we wanted to do about it."

"So what were your other options, since you obviously decided to stay married."

"Still not fair, Boss. We're not wearing rings, we are not doing anything differently than we did before all of this happened. Well, that's not quite true. Ziva and I are living together, which you already know, but we made that decision while we were on the Williamsburg Op. You know she moved into my apartment two days after we got her out of the hospital. Being legally married had nothing to do with it. We didn't even know it yet."

Gibbs just shook his head. "Well, you've kept it quiet and out of the office, I have to give you that."

"Thanks." Tony responded. "So anyway, back to your question regarding our other options. I may not be an active practitioner, but I _am_ Catholic, Boss. Marriage is very sacred to me, and I don't ever want to get divorced. No offense."

"None taken." Gibbs chuckled.

"So as far as I was concerned, that was not even an option. Ziva didn't argue with me about it, and I don't really know what the Jewish faith says about divorce. Like me, Ziva is not devout, but I know she has a strong faith."

"I may have joked about wanting a divorce after our first undercover assignment together, but we were pretending to be married anyway, there was no ceremony and certainly no legalize involved."

"The other alternative was annulment, a viable option. Although there are many valid reasons for an annulment, the one my father drilled into me was that a marriage can only be annulled if the union was not consummated. I know now that is not true, but to me, that is the only requirement for approval for an annulment."

Gibbs smiled at Tony. "Are you trying to tell me that you and Ziva consummated the marriage?"

"Hell, we consummated before the marriage. You know that, or you should."

Tony took a deep breath. "So we just basically ignored it and went on as if we are just living together. When we decide we want to get married, and notice I said _when_, not _if_; we will have another ceremony, of our own choosing, where we want and Ziva wearing the gown of her dreams and me giving her the rings I want her to wear."

Gibbs sat silently for a while. "You know, you could have told me, DiNozzo."

"Yeah, right." Tony laughed. He looked at Gibbs, who was looking at him seriously. "Look, Boss. We didn't purposely keep it from you; we kept it from everybody. And for the record, I was just a shocked when Ziva referred to me as her husband as you were. We do not play 'married couple' at home and refer to each other as husband and wife. She must be really stressed for that to have come out."

Gibbs nodded, agreeing with Tony's assessment of Ziva's frame of mind and accepting his explanation regarding their marriage.

The plan was for Malachi to have Ziva waiting for them at a private airfield. Vance had gotten the approval for the plane to land as a ruse for refueling for a longer flight.

"Getting ready for our descent." The voice came from the cockpit. Tony and Gibbs both got out and checked their guns. They knew that the simplest of plans could go seriously south in a hurry. They were both wearing flak jackets and head gear. Tony was very worried that Ziva would not be protected.

Gibbs used his headgear phone. "Where is she, McGee?"

"She's at the airport, Boss. Since we only have a sensor on her I can't tell if there are others with her."

"Got it." Gibbs ended the call. "She's there." He called into the cockpit. "We do not know if target is in hiding, or in a car; but seriously doubt she is just standing in the open airstrip waiting for us to come pick her up. Eyes open for probable structures or cars and get as close to them as possible. Out."

The landing was a little rough, but Tony took a deep breath of relief that at least they were that much closer to Ziva. Once the plane rolled to a stop, Gibbs and Tony got battle ready, waiting for the back of the plane to open.

As it slowly dropped down, Tony could just make over the top edge a car speeding toward them. As it got closer, he could see Malachi at the wheel, but no sign of Ziva. Before the back of the plane was fully down, both Gibbs and Tony were off the plane.

The car skidded to a halt feet from them. They both raised their guns at Malachi. "Ziva! Where is she?" Just then, the trunk popped opened. Tony beat Gibbs to the back of the car.

His heart sank at the look on her face- she looked heartbroken, angry, afraid, and relieved all at the same time. Without a thought, Tony reached in and lifted her out of the trunk and ran with her in his arms to the plane.

"Tony, put me down, I can walk." She protested. "I am not letting you go." Just then a shot rang out, and Tony fell, taking Ziva down with him.

"You Son of a Bitch!" Tony grabbed his upper arm. Malachi had his hands raised as Gibbs had his gun trained on him. "I am sorry Tony, but I must protect myself." He turned to Gibbs. "You must shoot me. Just not anywhere too serious. It cannot look like I helped in anyway."

"Let me shoot him, Boss!" Tony yelled as Ziva was tying her scarf around the wound. "I have just the spot!"

Malachi paled at that and Gibbs grinned. "Glad to oblige, Malachi." He barely finished the sentence when he put a round in his left thigh. "This way, you can still drive yourself out of here; that is if you don't bleed to death first."

Gibbs turned and ran to Tony and Ziva and helped them both back into the cargo plane. The engines had already started and they barely got inside before the back of the plane started to close. They almost didn't get strapped in before the plane was airborne once more.

Ziva was busy fussing with Tony's arm until he couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed her face and kissed her so hard they almost fell over. Then he held her in his good arm and never let go of her.

Gibbs came over to check on Tony's injury. "It looks through and through, Tony. You should be ok." He turned to Ziva and brushed back her hair from her forehead. "Are you ok? Are you hurt?"

Ziva shook her head, meaning she wasn't hurt, but she was far from ok. Tony let go of her long enough for her to fall into Gibbs' arms. "No, I am not ok. I do not know if I will ever be ok. But I have the two men I love the most with me and I know they will take care of me." Gibbs kissed her head and gave her back to Tony.

He knew that when Ziva was ready to talk about it, she would. In the meantime, he was satisfied that his family was safe and that they were going home.

_**There will be short prologue to this, but basically this is my take on that spoiler, that Ziva will find out she is not the daughter of Eli David. As far as her finding out she's pregnant, which is also swirling around out there and I almost wrote into this story, I just don't see the show going there, unless CdP is already preggers or planning on it, in which case they would write it into the show.**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Gibbs came over to check on Tony's injury. "It looks through and through, Tony. You should be ok." He turned to Ziva and brushed back her hair from her forehead. "Are you ok? Are you hurt?" **_

_**Ziva shook her head, meaning she wasn't hurt, but she was far from ok. Tony let go of her long enough for her to fall into Gibbs' arms. "No, I am not ok. I do not know if I will ever be ok. But I have the two men I love the most with me and I know they will take care of me." Gibbs kissed her head and gave her back to Tony.**_

_**He knew that when Ziva was ready to talk about it, she would. In the meantime, he was satisfied that his family was safe and that they were going home.**_

Vignette Five- Prologue

The plane made an emergency landing at the Navy Medical Facility in Rota, Spain. Tony was grimly reminded not only of his own refused promotion to this very place, but E.J. Barrett being the one who took the job in his stead.

Tony was quickly checked out. The wound was irrigated, and only slightly stitched closed, to allow for drainage from the wound. "Just another day, just another scar." Tony joked half-heartedly. The injury was extremely painful and they gave him some strong painkillers as well as antibiotics.

While Tony was being attended to, Gibbs and Ziva sat in the waiting room. She refused to be examined, saying she had not been injured in any way. They sat silently for a while. Finally, Gibbs took her hand.

"So, Mrs. DiNozzo."

Ziva turned to him in surprise. "Tony told you? I cannot believe he would say something without discussing it with me first."

Gibbs cocked his head at her. "Well, you were the one to let the cat out the bag, as it were." Ziva looked at him, confused.

"You really didn't realize what you were saying when you called for us to come get you, did you?"

Ziva's face paled. "What did I say?"

Gibbs looked solemn. "Well, if you will forgive the attempt at imitation, I WANT MY HUSBAND AND MY FATHER TO COME AND BRING ME HOME!"

Ziva hid her face in her hands. "On no, I did not say that."

Gibbs put his arm around her. "Oh yes, you did say that, in front of Vance, me and Tony. I didn't give Tony any hell about it until we were in flight to get you. He explained what happened…and everything else."

Ziva looked at Gibbs with tears in her eyes. "Does everything else mean our decision to say nothing? I hated lying to you. You are everything to me, and now, after what happened…"

Gibbs took her hand again. "What has happened, Ziva?"

She took a deep breath. "What has happened is that I am not the biological daughter of the famous Eli David. My birth father was from southern Austria. He would not tell me anymore or his name. He was a part of Eli's team and he said they were best friends."

Ziva sniffed. "He claimed that my father made him promise to take care of his family should anything ever happened to him. According to Director David, my mother agreed to this arrangement. The unthinkable happened; my father was killed during a mission. I was two years old. I do not remember him." Gibbs pulled her into a hug, and stroked her hair.

"So much makes sense now that I couldn't understand before." She looked at Gibbs. "I was an experiment to him, an object to be molded and manipulated."

Gibbs was stunned by this news, and felt the similarities between Ziva and Abby painful. "You are my Abba." Ziva whispered. "If you will let me…" Gibbs put his finger on her lips. "You have always been and will always be my daughter." Ziva cried into his shirt, Gibbs rubbing her back.

In less than two hours, they released Tony, albeit on a stretcher, so they could be back to the States without further delay. Ziva sat by his side, caressing his cheek, murmuring to him in Hebrew. Gibbs wondered if Tony had any idea what Ziva was saying, because he sure as hell didn't. But he figured just hearing her soothing voice was enough.

**Two weeks later**

Ziva had repeated the whole series of events to Tony once he was coherent enough to understand what she was saying. He was just as shocked as Gibbs was, but he was also privately relieved that Eli David was no longer an equation in their lives.

Gibbs had called them over to his house on Saturday afternoon. They figured they were finally going to get reamed out over the whole "fake/real wedding fiasco, so they were excited to tell him that after everything they had been through, they liked being married and were going to have another ceremony, this time one of their choosing.

Holding hands, they slowly walked down the steps to Gibbs' basement, where he was working on some piece of wood. They looked around and saw all sorts of pieces of wood, that looked like they would be put together to make something, but they couldn't figure out what. In the back corner, a tarp lay over something that looked to be completed, but could not figure out what it was.

"What are you working on here, Boss?" Tony asked conversationally, as if all in the world was normal.

Gibbs' continued to work. "Just what I told Vance. I'm enlarging my basement."

Tony and Ziva looked at each other, confused. "But Boss, your basement is in the ground. You'd have to dig around it to enlarge it."

Gibbs looked up at Tony. "Yeah?"

Gibbs wiped off his hands with a towel. He was silent for a few seconds. Then he looked at Ziva.

"Ziva, does Tony know what happened down here?" Ziva sucked in her breath, knowing he was talking about Ari.

Ziva slowly nodded. "It took many years, but yes, I told him I killed my own brother in cold blood." Tony winced at that. "You were ordered to make the kill Ziva. That's not quite the same."

Ziva looked at Gibbs confused. "This is why you asked us here?"

He wagged his finger to her, indicating for her to come over and stand where he was standing. "Do you know where you are standing?"

Ziva was upset. Why was he bringing this all back, now? "Yes, it is the spot where my brother died."

"WRONG! It is the spot where a deranged, out of control Mossad assassin was taken out. But it was not his sister who killed him. Oh, you were family, but he was not your brother, Ziva. He was Eli's son."

Ziva looked at the spot for a few moments, then up at Gibbs, looking confused. Tony had come to her side and put his arm around her. "You did what you had to do, Ziva. But please release the guilt you feel about killing your own flesh and blood, because you didn't. He wasn't your half-brother."

Ziva slowly dissolved and sat on the floor. Gibbs and Tony looked concerned and joined her. "All these years, all I could think was what kind of monster would kill her own flesh and blood?" She looked at Tony. "Knowing now that he was not, does help ease some of the burden, but at the time I believed he was and I still killed him."

Gibbs took her hand. "That's not who are now, Ziva. I asked you here today hoping to relieve you of this burden you've been carrying all these years. I know almost everyone else thinks I was the one to pull the trigger. I didn't want to bring these bad memories back, but I wanted to get you to realize that he was not your brother, because I am sure you have not thought through all of the ramifications of this news."

Ziva sighed, and Tony helped her up. "No, I am not the Mossad Assassin you met eight years ago. I am a completely different person; a better person, because I am surrounded by my friends and family, who may not be flesh and blood, but are more family to me than any one has ever been."

She leaned into Tony. "We thought you were going to yell at us about the marriage."

Gibbs chuckled. "Well, in that case…" He gave them both a light slap on the back of their heads. Ziva smiled, and even Tony didn't begrudge it. "Feel better now that I have properly chastised you?"

They looked at each other. Tony cleared his throat. "We've had a long time to get used to this idea and think of what we want to do."

"And?" Gibbs asked, looking more at Ziva than Tony. He could see her smile, so he had an idea what was coming. He turned his attention to Tony, looking stern.

Tony gulped. "Well, after all we've been through and after considering all of our options…"

Ziva smiled and held out her left hand. On it was the beautiful engagement ring that had belonged to Tony's mother. "We're going to do it, our way. With your permission, of 'course." Tony took a deep breath. "Leroy Jethro Gibbs, will you give me the honor of your daughter's hand in marriage?"

Gibbs pulled Ziva into a hug, kissing her and telling her he loved her all at the same time. He pulled back and looked at Tony, who wasn't quite sure that was permission granted or not. Gibbs looked him up and down, noticing how Tony straightened up and stood tall and proud next to Ziva.

He finally broke into a grin and shook Tony's hand. "You've proved you can make it work, which surprised the hell out of me. If you had come to me two years ago asking this I would have had you transferred to different teams."

Tony and Ziva both paled at that. "But not now?"

"Hell no. Someone's got to keep an eye on my daughter, and I need to keep an eye on him. You're not going anywhere." Tony spontaneously hugged him, and then pulled back. "Won't happen again, Boss."

"So, when is this wedding?"

"In four weeks. March 2nd." Tony said. "We'll fill everyone in on the plans once we get into to work."

**May 14, 2013**

Gibbs heard the front door opened and smiled as he heard two sets of footsteps heading toward the basement. He had been anticipating this since the bombing, seeing his team bond more closely than ever before. The only question had been who would be first?

Gibbs looked up as he saw Tony and Ziva head down the stairs. He turned his head to hide his smile, then turned back to look at them, at what he hoped was a believable look of surprise on his face.

"Didn't expect to see you two down here anytime soon. Usually no one comes unless something's wrong, and I know there's nothing wrong with you two."

"You are correct, Boss. And it's almost prophetic that you used the word expect." Tony cleared his throat, nervous and proud at the same time.

"Ah, just get it out, DiNozzo!" Gibbs pretended to growl.

Ziva flung herself into his arms. "I am pregnant! I mean we are pregnant! I mean…you are going to be a grandpa." Gibbs hugged Ziva so tightly, trying to keep his emotions in. He knew this day would come. "My Ziva. I am so proud of you."

"Tony," He gave Tony a hug. "You will make a great dad."

Tears sprung into Tony's eyes. "Thanks Boss."

"Now, I know I will have to be on restrictions…" Ziva began, but Gibbs waved her off. "We'll worry about that later. Go enjoy yourselves, go tell the others, because I know you are dying to." Ziva kissed him again on the cheek. Tony grinned. Gibbs just shook his head. "Go on, get out of here!" They ran up the stairs, hand in hand.

Gibbs walked over to his bench, and poured himself a small amount of bourbon. He raised his glass, saying a silent prayer, and downed the burning liquid in one swallow. He then headed to the corner of his basement and pulled off the tarp. Underneath was a beautifully handcrafted crib. Now he could put the finishing touches in it.

He looked around at the other finished wood pieces that could now be assembled into the rest of the nursery furniture.

"Enlarging my basement…" Gibbs laughed at himself. Tony had been the only one to question him on that statement. Even Leon didn't question it. "Well, that's why he's my Senior Agent. And the father of my grandchild."

Gibbs grabbed several pieces of wood, and began to put them together, smiling.

_**And that ties it all up in a neat little bow; Gibbs' new basement project is explained, Ziva ends up pregnant which apparently a lot of my readers wanted. I did not go through the proposal and wedding as they have all been done in my other stories, and I wouldn't change the way I wrote it the first time. Well, actually, there is another wedding coming, but that is in my other story "A Life Worthy Waiting For."**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**This is from the Season Ten video spoilers regarding episode 10x4 "Lost at Sea" in which Abigail Borin makes her reappearance. Other than the title, I have no clue what this episode is about. It could be metaphorically speaking of the team as being lost at sea as well. Airs Oct 23rd.**_

Vignette Six: "Cute, but you had your chance."

It had been a weird past few weeks all around. Tony sat on the sofa, watching Ziva look through his old photos he had discovered. He shuddered when he considered this moment might not have taken place.

**October 23, 2012**

Before heading into work, Tony and McGee were both accosted by some man wearing a robe, handing out pamphlets about love.

"Here you go, McGee. You need this more than I do." Tony handed Tim his pamphlet, but the man wouldn't let him.

"No, this is for you. The first woman you see today; ask her out. It will change your life."

"Sure, ok, thanks." Tony steered McGee into the Navy Yard, which was strangely void of woman at the moment. McGee looked around. "Hey, maybe that guy knows something we don't."

Tony gave McGee a look like he was nuts. "Like what? All of the women in the world except the two who should be with us have mysteriously disappeared? You're beginning to sound like Abby."

They got off the elevator. Tim immediately headed into the men's room. As Tony was putting his stuff down, Ziva showed up. "Good morning!"

"Good morning, Tony. Why do you have this silly look on your face?"

"Oh, just some weird guy grabbed me and Tim as we were coming in and gave us these pamphlets and said we should ask out the first women we see…why Agent Borin! What are you doing here?"

Agent Abigail Borin wasted no words. "Where's Gibbs? Got a case."

"Ooh, he's gonna' be thrilled with that I can tell you right now." Borin raised one eyebrow at Tony. "Gibbs?"

"Don't know, haven't seen him yet. Why don't you sit and…or not." Tony looked at Ziva with a face that made her snicker.

Borin paced a bit. She heard someone behind her and turned but it was McGee, returning from the men's room. His head was down, trying to get a stain out of his tie. As it was, he almost ran smack into her.

"Agent Borin! You're here!" Tim gulped. He thought about it for a few seconds, and then he felt as if someone took over his brain.

"Uh, Agent Borin, I was wondering if you'd, I have these concert tickets."

The bullpen got quiet. "Are you asking me out, McGee?"

McGee stuttered. "Well, yeah, you see I got these tickets."

Abigail looked at him. "Yeah, know, got that part."

"When's the concert, McGee?" Gibbs caught the last part of the conversation.

Tony saw his chance and looked at Ziva. "Hey, you know technically maybe I should be asking you out since he did say the first woman I see…

Ziva laughed softly and slightly sarcastically. "Cute, but you had your chance." Tony just looked at her, not shocked at all by her response. He wondered if anyone would comment on the "you had your chance" part; but Gibbs was far more interested in why Borin was there and McGee looked about ready hurl.

Coast Guard Special Agent Abigail Borin had unexpectedly joined them at NCIS because a boat was lost at sea, and it looked like foul-play involving two Navy Midshipmen. As always happens when Abigail shows up, she and Gibbs played show and tell, following one another so closely that it almost looked rehearsed.

Tony and Ziva were sent to where the boat was towed in, to check for evidence. On the drive over, Tony was smiling. "Good come back, by the way."

"Excuse me?" Ziva looked at him, confused. Tony grinned. "You know, when I said I should ask you out and you said I had already had my chance. Keeping it out of the office was one of our top priorities."

"Oh God, serious gross thought. Borin is almost Gibbs' twin. That means McGee in essence just asked out Gibbs." He shook his head, trying to get that thought out of his brain.

Ziva shifted. "Keeping _what_ exactly out of the office?"

Tony glanced at her, then back at the road. "You know, what we discussed in the elevator. How we decided to try to move our relationship a little bit more out of the professional and into the personal. We didn't want anyone to know about it. So good response to my comment."

"I was only speaking the truth." Ziva said, keeping her eyes forward.

This time Tony looked at her longer, looking for a smile or smirk to show she was teasing him, but none was visible. Without warning, he crossed two lines of traffic and pulled the car over.

"Tony, are you crazy? You could have killed us. Why did you do that?"

"What do you mean 'you were only speaking the truth.'? That sounds like a kiss-off to me and I don't understand what's going on and I want to know what you mean by that."

"Tony, we are on a case." Ziva admonished. "Gibbs will not be very happy with us if we spend the whole afternoon discussing our personal lives instead of doing our jobs."

"No, I need to know; are you bailing on me?"

"Tony, there is nothing to bail on because nothing has happened." Ziva sighed.

"Now what does _that_ mean?" Tony was getting frustrated.

"Just what I said, nothing has happened. _Nothing_ has changed. Whatever we said we were going to do in the elevator evaporated, at least as far as you are concerned, the minute we were rescued. OK, maybe that is not fair. Two weeks after we were rescued."

Tony was totally in shock. All this time he thought he and Ziva had been sharing these special private moments, moments that needed to be hidden from the team; and here she was saying that they had not be sharing anything at all.

Ziva put her arm on his. "I told you I did not want to talk about this while we are working. Your head needs to be on this case, not on us. We will talk tonight."

Tony looked really sad. "Are you breaking up with me, Ziva?"

Ziva looked anguished. "Tony, how can you break up with a man who is not with you?"

Tony didn't have an answer for that one, and for the life of him couldn't understand why Ziva would feel he was not "with" her. He was determined to get to the bottom of this but she was right. They had a job to do.

One thing they could always count on that once they were on the job, _that_ was the priority. That's what made them such a good team, good partners. In and out of the field. At least that was what he had thought.

They finished processing the scene in record time. They found blood splatter and got some prints off the boat. No weapons were found or any other objects that could be construed as a dangerous.

"Ok." Tony sounded defeated. "Let's get this stuff back to Abby. Maybe she can find something good out of all of this."

Ziva knew that Tony was making a thinly veiled comment at what he decided was rejection by Ziva. They got back to NCIS in record time.

Tony finished up his paper work in silence. Ziva kept looking up at him worried. She had hoped that this conversation would not come this soon, but maybe it was for the best. But not if Tony was going to mope and pretend she wasn't there.

She walked over to his desk. "Come, I will cook you dinner tonight. We can…discuss things."

Tony looked hesitant. As much as he wanted to know what had gone wrong, a part of him was in denial. "I don't know…"

"Tony." That's all Ziva had to say. His shoulders sagged and he nodded his head. Ziva was a little taken aback at how dejected Tony looked. "Come on, I will drive."

That put the life back into him." Oh, no thanks. I'll drive myself." Now he was more like the old Tony. They grabbed their bags and headed out. Tony followed Ziva to her apartment and felt his legs get heavier and heavier with each step he took closer to her door.

"I hope you do not mind leftovers." Ziva called out from the kitchen.

"You know me; I'll eat anything." Tony murmured.

They sat their plates down on the table and began eating. Ziva was hoping they could finish their dinner before talking, but Tony couldn't wait. He put down his glass of wine.

"How can you say I am not 'with' you? I am 'with' you all the time."

Ziva nodded. "Yes, you are: at work, when we have movie nights, or just do dinners here or your place."

"Then what is the problem? Please Ziva, I really don't understand."

She sighed. "Perhaps it was I who misunderstood." He looked at her confused. "What?"

"When we were stuck, all those hours in the elevator, we had some very heart to heart talks. And what I heard was that you were interested in taking our relationship to a new level. Instead of just being work partners, maybe it would also work in our personal lives as well. We have held each other at arm's length for so long. Maybe this was some sign for us, to throw caution to the wind and see what happens."

"Yeah, that's what we talked about and that's what I thought we agreed to. But you're saying we haven't been doing that. I don't understand. We're together all the time. Well, almost."

"Tony, to make a change in a relationship, you have to make a change in how the present relationship is working, or running or whatever you want to call it. You have to do some things differently. Before the bombing, we had our movie nights, our dinner nights."

"And we still have those. Nothing has changed. We have not done anything different than we did before the bombing. How can our relationship change when we have not?"

Tony was stunned. "Tony, I know almost everything there is to know about you from a work standpoint, but I only know bits and pieces that you reluctantly share about your childhood and family and personal life. I have shared far more than you have. To have a personal relationship, we must get…personal."

"And then right away, you are back to your old ways, lusting after that Facilities Manager, who just happened to be a deranged murderer. Tony, it is one thing to try to keep a relationship under wraps. It is quite another to strut around as if there is _no_ relationship with anyone else at _all_ and act like you want to throw every woman you see against the wall and have sex with her."

"Wait a minute, I don't do that! And I thought you knew I was just pretending with Judy so no one would know about us. Wait. Were you jealous?"

Ziva got mad. "That is not the point, Tony. The point is there is no "us" if we are not dating, if we are not doing couple things. If we are not…" Ziva stopped, embarrassed she had said too much.

"I think I get this." Tony said. "We already know each other so well, you think that _I_ think I don't need to go through the same actions I would with any other woman I wanted to start a relationship with." He grinned. "You want to be courted!"

"I think that is an antiquated term, but it is perhaps not too far off the mark. We are supposed to be having this exciting new relationship. When is it going to start?"

"Is it going to start, or did you mean what you said, 'I had my chance.'? Did I miss it?" Tony held Ziva's hand and looked into her eyes. "Because I really want to try to make a go of this. That is, if you are still interested."

Ziva got up and sat on his lap. "If I was not interested, I would not be having this conversation with you. I would almost rather have an open declared relationship with you than a fake one kept under wraps."

Tony's eyes opened wide at that. "Oh, do not go all goofy on me. I was only trying to make a point."

"Point well made." Tony murmured. "Well, then. Ziva, are you busy Friday night? Because there is this new French restaurant in Foggy Bottom I have been dying to go to. It is a little fancy, so you will have to dress up." Tony waited quietly for her response.

"I will have to check my social calendar, but I do believe I am open on Friday." She smiled softly.

Tony felt like he won the lottery. "Great, then I will make reservations and let you know what time I will be picking you up, for our date."

Ziva laid her head on Tony's shoulder. He was smart enough that he knew that this wasn't all he needed to do to make this work, but at least he was now on the right track. He had no doubt that Ziva would let him know when he made a wrong turn.

**November 2012**

Tony and Ziva sat together, still going through the old photos. Tony sighed. "Sometimes I wish I could go back in time, to see her again, to relive these moments."

Ziva nodded. "I know it is heartbreaking at times**. **Butas much as you would like to, you cannot dwell on the past. After all, tomorrow is another day."

Tony looked at her in shock. 'Ziva David, did you just quote a movie?"

Ziva looked back at Tony seriously. "No. I quoted a book. That was made into a movie."

_**Done by request. Hope you liked it. The Spoiler Reel was going through so many scenes it wasn't always clear which episode each scene belonged to. I am guessing this last part is when Tony is sharing his photos but really have no clue.**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**I've already done a Vignette about the "Lost at Sea" promos, but seeing what is out there now, I was like, totally wrong in some of my guessing. So here is my second take based on the newest promos. The dialog in the beginning is all from the spoiler video, for I claim no intent of infringement. Everthing else I am sure will not happen. I do not own CBS or its affiliates, NCIS, its characters or any of its characters.**_

Vignette Seven: "Game on!"

They got the call early: a Navy helicopter crew had been rescued at sea, the only missing crew member was the pilot.

The team immediately went to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Worcester County, just north of Ocean City. Tony, Tim and Ziva were combing the beach, looking for evidence.

She overheard Tony and Tim talking about their plans for Friday night. Apparently they had decided to go bar-hopping together, expecting to pick up women.

While she was disgusted with Tony, she was glad he was doing something outside of work with McGee, even if it was something as base as looking for hook-ups.

Suddenly she heard "Top Gun," "Maverick," and "Iceman," and how "Goose" got killed, equating the current situation with the crash that occurred in the movie.

"Let me guess, gross movie trivia works in bars?" Ziva asked, looking disgusted.

"Well, something must." Tony replied. "Tim and I have a pretty serious date on Friday night, and I have to say we are a force of nature."

"I see. And women are just waiting for this masculine force." Ziva made the statement as if this was a known fact.

"Pretty much, yeah." Tony replied, still writing.

"Ok." Ziva said, as if she totally accepted what Tony had said.

She then noticed Agent Amanda Borin and Gibbs coming down one of the drifts to join them.

"So this Friday night, I want you to pick up the first woman you see." Ziva set the challenge.

"That is juvenile and I am more mature than that now." Tony replied, briefly looking at her.

"Well, if either of you manages to get a date, I will do your case reports for the entire month." Ziva threw down the gauntlet.

Tim looked surprised. "Why? What do you get out of it?"

Tony ripped off his sunglasses. "Game on."

**Friday**

Tony, Ziva and Tim were working hard on the case. The missing pilot had been found on the beach that first day.

The news that a second aircraft had been involved added intensity to an already stressful situation.

Borin paced a bit, waiting for Gibbs. She had just returned from the evidence garage, where Abby informed her she had a lot of evidence, but nothing from a helicopter.

She heard someone behind her and turned, but it was McGee, returning from the men's room. His head was down, trying to get a stain out of his tie. As it was, he almost ran smack into her.

"Agent Borin! You're here!" Tim gulped. He thought about it for a few seconds, and then he felt as if someone took over his brain.

Hoping to get the jump on Tony, he came to a quick decision. "Uh, Agent Borin, I was wondering if you'd, I have these concert tickets."

The bullpen got quiet. "Are you asking me out, McGee?"

McGee stuttered. "Well, yeah, you see I got these tickets."

Abigail looked at him. "Yeah, know, got that part."

"When's the concert, McGee?" Gibbs caught the last part of the conversation.

Tony saw his chance and looked at Ziva. "Hey, you know technically maybe I should be asking _you_ out since you did say the first woman I saw Friday…

Ziva laughed softly and slightly sarcastically. "Cute, but you had your chance." Tony just looked at her, giving that _"I'm smiling but I'm pretending I'm not"_ look.

What he realized in that second was not what Ziva said, but what she _didn't_ say or do.

He would have expected "In your dreams" or "I'd rather date 'sweat-boy" or giving him a disgusted look or rolling her eyes.

What she did, as far as _he_ was concerned, was say she would have said "yes" and gone out with him, but somehow, at some time, he missed his opportunity.

"_Ziva David just admitted she would go out with me."_ Tony was surprised at how pleased he was by this thought. He had often thought of going out with Ziva, he just figured she would say no. Although since the elevator...

"_Oh God, serious gross thought. Borin is almost Gibbs' twin. That means McGee in essence just asked out Gibbs."_ He shook his head, trying to get that thought out of his brain.

Surprisingly, Borin agreed to go to the concert with McGee, much to the surprise of McGee, Tony and Ziva. After Borin left the bullpen with Gibbs, Tim pumped his fist.

"Yes! I win Tony!" McGee was still in shock but elated.

Tony stood up. "Sorry to burst your bubble, McLoverboy; but the bet was for Friday _night_, while we are at the _bar_. Not just Friday."

McGee's mood totally deflated. Ziva chuckled. "And just exactly is this special place you are going where you expect all of these women to fall at your feet?"

Tony turned to her and smiled. "The bar on 6th, where all the 'Hot Pilots' hang out."

Ziva really started to laugh. "And you expect to find someone willing to date you when there are…hot pilots…all around?" She laughed so hard she started snorting.

Tony looked affronted. "Hey, I'm hot."

This caused a new wave of muffled laughter from Ziva. She stood up and walked up to Tony and placed her hand on his cheek.

Tony was taken aback by this move. Ziva had certainly done this before, but it had a different effect on him this time, something he was afraid to define.

"I guess you will find out, yes?" She walked away, headed toward the ladies room, still chuckling.

Tony watched her leave, noticing a bit of sway in her hips.

"She's right you know. We don't stand a prayer against those young pilots, Tony." McGee looked defeated.

"Speak for yourself, McGee. Besides, do you think all Navy and Marine pilots look like Tom Cruise or Val Kilmer? This is the real world, McGee. Don't you even think of bailing on me."

Tim nodded. "Oh, I'm still going."

"Alright, then." Tony headed back to his desk.

Despite his assurances, Tony was actually dreading nightfall and heading to the bar. What if he was "shot down" like what happened with Judy, although under the circumstances that turned out to be a very good thing.

Finally, Tony and McGee couldn't put it off any longer. They decided to walk to the bar. If nothing else, they were going to have a good time, and if that meant taking a cab home, so be it.

**Friday Night- "The Cockpit"**

"What an appropriate name for a bar of pilots. You can interpret it either way you want." Tony and McGee looked at the neon sign.

"Game on?" Tony looked at Tim.

"Game on!" McGee answered the challenge.

They walked inside and were bombarded with a cacophony of noise: music, glassware clinking and sometimes breaking, loud laughter and conversations.

The number of bodies squeezed into the room must have exceeded the legal limit, but it made navigating to the bar a more "fun" experience; having to rub up against so many bodies.

"I don't even know where to start, there's too many of them." Tim sounded lost.

Tony threw his arm around his shoulder. "I suggest we start at the bar and get a drink. Have to have some alcohol in you first, McGee."

Tony weaved his way through to the bar, not really looking at the people he was passing through, so intent on his destination.

As expected the bar was crowded and there was only one seat, next to a brunette who had his back to him.

Tony stood by the chair, McGee glued to his side. He caught the bartender's attention. "Dos Cervezas, por favor. Gracias" Tony requested.

He turned toward the brunette, who was chatting up a very good looking young man. _"Probably a pilot. Figures the first woman I see is already hooked up."_

"Excuse me, miss? Is this seat taken?" Slowly, seductively, the woman turned and looked down at Tony's feet.

Her eyes travelled up, reaching his crouch and lingering her gaze there.

By the time she looked up into his face and into his eyes, Tony was stunned into silence.

"Ziva?"

She smiled, clearly enjoying herself. She turned back toward the bar.

"_Ok."_ Tony thought.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Ziva held up the beer she was already drinking. "No thank you." She turned back and continued her conversation with her companion.

Tony tapped her shoulder. Ziva looked at his finger, then up at him. "Yes?"

"You don't want that guy. He's not your type." Tony said, whispering in her ear.

"Not my type? And how would you know that?" Ziva's eyebrow was arched and she was slightly amused.

"Because you need a _real man_. He's, look at him, he's a _boy_!"

Ziva took a long pull on her beer then slowly ran her tongue across her lips, catching the lingering drops.

Tony was started to sweat. _"Oh my God! What was she doing to him?"_

"I happen to like…young men." She answered his question.

"I think you need to dump junior here and let me show you what you _should_ like."

"Really?" Ziva chuckled. "And you think you are the man to do that?"

Tony looked deeply into Ziva's eyes. "I _know_ I am."

"Excuse me." Ziva got up and headed toward the ladies room. Tony looked around for McGee, hoping he hadn't been gawking and witnessed this strange exchange.

To his surprise, Tim was dancing with a very pretty girl. "Way to go, McGee." Tony murmured, congratulating his friend for getting over his nerves and diving in.

Tony headed toward the ladies room. When he was satisfied that Ziva was the only one in there, he opened the door.

Ziva was bent over the sink, applying lipstick. Tony walked toward her, his hands in his pockets and sat on the counter. "What do I need to do to get you to dump that guy?'

Ziva finished her lips, dabbing them lightly with tissue. "Since I am not "with" him, there is no need to "dump" him, yes?"

She turned toward him, so that they almost only inches apart.

"So what do I need to do?"

"Tony DiNozzo? Not knowing how to get a woman? This is a shocking revelation!" She started to leave and turned your head.

"You need to figure it out, just don't start the whole bar singing 'You've lost the loving feeling' or I may have to hurt you."

Tony broke into a wide grin. "You saw the movie."

Ziva turned back toward him, smiling. "A long time ago, although I had to re-watch it to remember the details of the bar scene."

Tony again walked toward her. "I have to give you points, Ziva; you almost re-enacted the entire scene."

"Well, there were some things that would be out of my control, but I did my best."

"How did you know I would follow you to the bathroom?" After seeing the look on Ziva's face, he agreed. "You're right, dumb question."

He inched a little closer. "You do know that they ended up together, don't you? Or did you conveniently forget that part?"

Ziva inched a little closer herself. "No, I remembered, although I do not remember a bet being part of that bar scene."

Tony got so close he could feel Ziva's breath on his. "There wasn't, and that's why McGee's going to win this bet."

Ziva looked into his eyes. "And why is that, Tony?"

"Because I will never ask you out on a bet. I will ask you out because I want to go out with you, and I want you to go out with me."

"And yet, you have never asked me out." Ziva turned to leave again. Tony grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"I never asked you out because I was afraid."

Ziva turned back, truly surprised. "Afraid? Afraid of what?"

Tony grinned. "At first, when we were getting to know each other? I was afraid you would…what did you just say? Hurt me?"

Ziva chuckled. "And now?"

Tony pulled her almost into an embrace and whispered into the side of her face. "I'm afraid you'll say no."

Ziva pulled back and looked at Tony. She placed her hand on his cheek and kissed his cheek. Tony slowly turned so her kissed moved to his lips.

"I do not kiss men who are not on a date with me." Ziva admonished him.

Tony put his arms around her. "Can we fix that situation? Can I get a second chance?" Tony didn't bother to ask what chance he had missed, it didn't matter now.

"Maybe, if I like what you consider to be a date. But tonight is not a date; we are just hanging out together."

Tony's grin couldn't get any wider. "What about your young stud?"

"Him? I told him I was waiting for someone and we were just chatting."

Tony's eyes opened wide, and then he had to look at her in admiration. "Classic move."

They left the bathroom. Tony turned toward Ziva. "Ziva David, would you care to dance?"

Ziva smiled. "I'd love to dance, Tony." With that, Tony took her hand and led her onto the dance floor. It was a slower song, so fewer bodies were out there.

One of those was Tim, who saw Tony and raised his thumb, indicating he had gotten his date. Tony gave him a big smile and swung Ziva into his arms. _"Tim may have won the bet but I won the prize."_


	14. Chapter 14

_**This is just a short snippet from the Gibbs/LJ/Jackson promos I have seen for the next episode, "Namesake." I really don't have a feel for this situation, but none of my other vignettes have even come close to what was shown on the actual episode; although in most cases, especially the season opener, I liked my version better. (Some of my other Vignettes are regarding stories that have yet to air, so those are still in the jury box.**_

_**I am including the case in the beginning to get L.J. involved and then essentially forgetting it; I am not solving the case. Just so I could write something. Own nothing.**_

Vignette Eight: "Namesake- Family Secrets"

**October 30, 2012**

The team was already at the crime scene, examining the Ferrari for evidence. The body had been removed and was being examined by Ducky and Jimmy. Fingerprint ID had identified him as Petty Officer Colin Boxer.

Gibbs and Tim were looking at the car. There was not a scratch on it, so either the killer was already in the car with the victim, or somehow the killer staged a reason for the driver of the Ferrari to stop and interact with him.

"Why or perhaps the better question is how could a petty officer have a Ferrari?" Tony asked.

The car registration was still in the car: the owner's name was Vijay Chaya. "Well, that answered that question." Tony responded.

"Tim, put out a BOLO for this guy. See if he has reported his car stolen." Gibbs said.

He looked around the scene some more, to see if there was anything they missed.

"I can't imagine the petty officer stole the car; maybe he was killed elsewhere and put in the car to throw us off?" Offered McGee.

"That's what we're here to find out." Gibbs said.

"It could have been a planned meeting, gone wrong, Boss." Tony said.

They looked around for other tire tracks, but didn't see much of anything. They took photos and bagged and tagged.

"There are some boot prints by the side of the road." Ziva came up. "I will take casts."

Gibbs nodded. "Tony, give her a hand. McGee, back with me. Let's go look at the life of Petty Officer Colin Boxer."

"Pack up the car, take it back to the evidence garage for Abby to go over."

"I want every inch of this car to be examined, even if it means taking it apart bolt by bolt."

"Boss, that's a Ferrari. You just can't…" Tony stopped, seeing the look on Gibbs' face.

Just then, movement could be heard in the brush. Gibbs' and Tony raised their weapons and cautiously headed toward the sound.

"Federal Agents! Come out with your hands up! Now!" Gibbs barked.

Slowly the Highway Patrol officer came into view. "Hold up! Just looking for evidence."

Gibbs and Tony relaxed. By this time, the flatbed had arrived to pick up the Ferrari.

The team watched it being loaded. "Abby's going to have a field day with this one." Tony quipped.

**Petty Officer Colin Boxer's home**

The landlady let Gibbs and McGee into Boxer's apartment. They did a general sweep of the room to see if anything stood out.

The place had not been searched. Although it was not the neatest place in the world, it was not the messiest either.

Tim immediately located Boxer's computer and tried to get into his email. He noticed something on the printer.

"Boss, found something. Looks like the rental agreement for the apartment."

The landlady was still there. "Yeah, this kid didn't have a lot of money, so he needed a co-signer before I would rent to him."

Tim looked closer at the document. "The name of the person who was the co-signer is…Leroy Jethro Moore."

Gibbs' head snapped up at that, and McGee looked confused. "Isn't that…?"

Gibbs took the paper out of Tim's hand. He stared it, stunned. _"How could the man he had been named for be involved in this case?"_

"Let's go, McGee." Gibbs barked.

"Where are we going, Boss?" Tim asked.

"I'm taking you back to NCIS, and then I am going home and making a difficult phone call."

**NCIS**

"I'm telling you Tony, this could be bad. You didn't see the look on Gibbs' face when he heard me read that name."

Tony chewed on his lower lip. "And you said he was going to make a 'difficult phone call.' How much do you want to bet that it's his Dad he's going to call?"

"Why would Gibbs be calling his father and why would you make a bet about it?" Ziva just walked into the bullpen.

"Oh, you are not going to believe this, Zee-vah! We have a new person involved in this case." Tony informed her.

Ziva frowned. "Certainly you do not mean his father?"

Tony and Tim both shook their heads "no."

"Nope." Tim said. "Leroy Jethro Moore." Ziva's eyes popped open.

"Leroy Jethro Moore? As in L.J.? As in the man Gibbs was named after?"

Ziva looked concerned. "If he really _is _involved then Gibbs will not be able to continue as part of the investigation. He will be too close to the subject."

Tony looked grim. "Gibbs won't like that. He'll want to be in the mix to prove that L.J. is not involved or the reason for this murder."

**Gibbs' Home**

Gibbs paced for a while, and then finally pulled out his phone. He punched in the numbers and waited as it rang.

He was about to give up when his father finally answered his old rotary phone. "Hello?"

"Dad." Gibbs said simply.

"Well, this is a surprise, Leroy. It's not my birthday and I don't remember Halloween being something we shared, so let me guess: some crime lord is coming to get me?"

Gibbs had to smile despite himself. "No, Dad. Not yet anyway."

"Then why are you calling? Oh, don't get me wrong, I like it when you call but it tends to only happen when bad things have happened or about to happen. Which is it? You're ok, aren't you?"

"I'm fine, Dad." He paused. "Dad, I need to get something from you, an address or a phone number."

"Ok, then. Who's do you need?"

"L. J."

"Dammit, Leroy, what did I tell you?"

"Dad, I know. But it's important. He may be involved in one of our investigations."

"Good. Let him rot in hell!"

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened between you two?"

"I told you; never bring up his name!" Jackson Gibbs slammed down his phone.

Gibbs sighed. He took a deep breath and held out his phone again. "Yeah, DiNozzo. Need you to find someone; don't really care how you do it."

"On it, Boss! Name?" Tony was writing furiously.

"Leroy Jethro Moore." Gibbs hung up.

Tony looked at Ziva, then hung up. "I've just been ordered to find the elusive namesake."

As expected, Gibbs was removed from all interrogation when Moore was found and brought in to NCIS. But he was allowed to speak to him privately as a family friend.

"Have a seat." Gibbs said. They were in the conference room. Leroy Jethro Moore. The elder Leroy was a distinguished looking black male, in his eighties.

His clothes were tidy, but worn. He was a decorated war hero, but had seen better days.

"Leroy, before you start asking me any questions, I swear I did not murder that young man."

Gibbs shook his head and held up his hand. "Not here about that. I am officially off that part of the case."

Moore looked confused, then realization dawned on his face. "You need to talk to Jack, Leroy."

"Something happened between you two, and I want to know what it was." Gibbs said quietly.

"I'm sure your father and I have different versions about what happened." L. J. answered uncomfortably.

Gibbs nodded and smiled. "Oh, I have no doubt of that. The question is: who is going to tell me the truth?"

"Why do you need to know?" The older man pleaded.

"You and my dad were best friends. I was _named_ after you. I need to know what came between you two."

L.J. looked down, then up. "Not what, Leroy. Who."

Gibbs looked at him, not understanding.

"Your mother."

At Gibbs' questioning look, L.J. looked down and spoke the words quietly.

"Your mother and I maintained a special relationship until the day she died."

**NCIS Quadrangle**

Once Gibbs' mother came up, Gibbs quickly moved the "chat" outside to a more private area.

The conference room was monitored. Gibbs wasn't interested in his family's dirty laundry being aired for everyone to see.

Once they were seated at a picnic table set back from the main walking traffic areas, Gibbs looked at L.J.

"I'm listening."

L.J. looked at his namesake. "You married?

Despite himself, Gibbs had a small smile on his face. "Tried it a couple of times; it didn't work for me."

L.J. nodded. "Marriage is not easy. I know. Been there myself."

He shifted himself on the hard wooden bench.

"Leroy, what do you remember about your parent's marriage?"

Gibbs looked a little uncomfortable and unsure. "Not much. A lot of yelling, a lot of fighting."

"I always thought it was my fault. Then she left. Thought that was my fault too."

"It wasn't, so if you haven't already, stop thinking it."

L.J. considered his next words. Before he could speak, Gibbs spoke first.

"Did my mom leave Dad for you?"

He sighed. "In a manner of speaking, but not what you are thinking. Your mother and I were close friends, but that is all; friends."

"And my dad thinks otherwise. He thinks she ran off with you." Gibbs stated, questioning.

L.J. nodded. "Your parent's marriage was trouble from the start. In fact, I tried to talk them out of getting married, because I knew them both well, and knew it wouldn't work out."

"The only good thing that came out of the marriage was you, Leroy. I'm sure your dad has painted your mom as the 'bad' person in this story. And to a certain extent, he was right."

"Your mom did not know how to be a mother or a wife. She was lost in their relationship."

"She felt trapped from the minute she said 'I do.' The only reason she stayed as long as she did was because of you."

"But your dad is just as much to blame as she is. I don't want to tell you things that Jack doesn't want you to know, and I'm sure Anne wouldn't have wanted you to know."

"Let me just say they were both guilty of treating each other badly."

Gibbs had a sudden flashback to when he had been shot in that diner, and Mike Franks had shown up to show him how his life had mattered to everyone around him; how the choices we make have a cause and effect.

He could never figure out if he had lost consciousness or momentarily lost his senses, but it felt real. And talking to his mom had felt just as real.

He remembered her mentioning his dad taking women home all the time, and his Dad having to change his wife's bed sheets every day.

At the time, he didn't really process what she was saying; he was so stunned she was there.

Now, after what L.J. had just said, he sadly figured out what she meant by those words.

L.J. could see the understanding dawn on Gibbs' face and the questioning look when he looked back up at him.

He shook his head. "I told you. We were friends. Never, ever would I do that. Unfortunately, Jack does not believe me."

"Finally, something broke the camel's back. I don't remember what it was now, but she finally left. Jack _and _you. She said it was the hardest thing she ever did, but thought you would be better off without her."

"She came to you." Gibbs said.

"As I said, we were friends. She really didn't have too many options. I had left Sweetwater a while before, since Jack and I broke our partnership because of his accusations."

"Jack knew she had come to me, which only fueled his anger and proved his point, to his way of thinking."

Gibbs sat for a while, trying to absorb all of this. "You said you knew my mother until the day she died. Were you with her when she died?"

L.J. wiped a tear away. "Yes, I was. I took care of her once she got sick. It wasn't long after she had left you, when she started coughing; then it got worse and wouldn't go away."

"When she started losing weight, I finally convinced her to see a doctor."

"Cancer." Gibbs said quietly.

L.J. nodded. "Lung. Your mother was a terrible smoker and was still smoking the day she died." He shook his head sadly.

"She briefly considered coming back to you when she found out she was going to die."

"Then why didn't she?" Gibbs asked angrily.

"She already left you once. How could she come back to you, only to leave you again? She didn't want to put you through that. It was probably the only selfless thing she ever did her entire life."

Just then Gibbs' phone rang. Swearing to himself, he grabbed it. "Gibbs! What?" His voice got softer. "Ok, thanks DiNozzo."

Gibbs had a small smile on your face. "You are cleared. Apparently, you make it a habit to co-sign rental agreements for down and out service men and women who need help."

L.J. shrugged. "I have a small charity I founded: "Rent for Vets." All the money that is donated goes into helping these young kids out."

"With the other charitable organizations out there, we're small potatoes, but we do what we can."

"Well, you are free to go. Why don't you come home with me? I make a mean steak." L.J. smiled, probably for the first time that day.

"But first, I would like to introduce you properly to my team."

**Gibbs' Home- North Arlington, VA**

Gibbs and L.J. entered his house. Gibbs instantly knew they were not alone. He held out his hand, telling L.J. to stay where he was.

Gibbs walked slowing into his kitchen, then started down his basement steps. "Dad! What are you doing here?"

"Making sure justice is served." Jackson Gibbs growled. "Besides, who knows what all sort of nonsense he told you, so I'm here to set the record straight!"

"So am I."

They both looked up to see L.J. on the stairs. He slowly walked down and faced his former friend and partner.

Gibbs looked between them. "I'm going upstairs to grill some steaks. You two…" He wagged his finger between the two of them. "Talk!"

Gibbs went upstairs and started dinner preparation. He heard occasional yelling, but no breaking of furniture or glass, at least yet.

After a while, the tones got quieter, and he wasn't sure, but he thought he heard a chuckle or two.

Finally after about ten minutes of relative silence, he yelled downstairs. "Hey! These steaks aren't going to eat themselves!"

Slowly, Jackson Gibbs and Leroy Jethro Moore appeared. Both of their faces were flushed and they looked a little disheveled, but otherwise, cordial.

"Sit! Eat!" Gibbs ordered.

"Is he always this bossy?" L. J. asked.

"You have no idea. He makes his _team_ call his Boss!" The elder Gibbs growled.

Gibbs smiled. Maybe things were not quite back to normal, but it looks like a good start had been made.

_**Ok, that's it. Have no idea if they end up talking or not, but I would like to think they will. I didn't want to write their conversation, since it would mostly be a rehash of the conversation between Gibbs and L.J. except for Jack making his own accusations. **_


	15. Chapter 15

**This is the second version of the spoilers regarding a quote on "spoilersforncis", in which _"__executive producer Gary Glasberg promises a "huge Ziva story" right after the holiday break in January. Although the precise details of the arc are still being hammered out, Glasberg confirms that "it's going to rock Vance's world" and it will feature the return of Michael Nouri as Ziva's father, Eli David. "What goes down affects everybody and propels us into [the season's next chapter]," Glasberg says. "I think it all sticks to the idea of knocking people down and picking them back up again, emotionally and psychologically." (copied from website). _The first story mentioned the big Ziva story, and then later Vance was mentioned but then never again, so I ignored the Vance inclusion in my first story. This one will include Vance. This has now been confirmed to be a two-parter Episodes 10 and 11 entitled: "Shabbat Shalom."**

Vignette Nine- "Hello, Goodbye"- Part One

Tony and Ziva were outside of Director's Vance's house. He had received a creditable threat against his family. They had just gotten their suitcases in the SUV and the kids were tightly belted in.

Agent John Miles was at the wheel. Tony and Ziva would be driving backup, and would be picked up a mile down the road by Gibbs and Tim.

Other teams were scattered along the route to fall in as other teams dropped off. They were hoping this confused anyone who might be following them.

Tony and Ziva were glad it was Friday, because once they completed this part of the mission, they were free until at least Sunday, when it would be their rotation to stay with the family at the safe house.

Tony and Ziva had just reached their car and were getting in as Jackie Vance was buckling in. Suddenly, she turned to Agent Miles.

"I'm sorry, I can't believe this. I left my purse in the house." She unbuckled and opened her door."

Tony turned on the walkie. "What's Mrs. Vance doing, Miles?"

Miles voice crackled over the instrument. "She's going back in. She forgot her purse." Tony looked at Ziva. "I will go back and make sure she gets back in the car."

Tony nodded, though he didn't like Ziva not having backup. "Tony, it is only Mrs. Vance. Besides there is a team watching the back." He sighed and handed her the walkie. "Take this."

Ziva trotted back across the street. She stopped by the car. "Start the car and be ready to go."

She entered the immaculate home, and called out. "Mrs. Vance? We need to leave, now!" Ziva headed toward the bedroom and Mrs. Vance was coming out.

Ziva gave a deep sigh of relief. "Please, Mrs. Vance, we need to hurry." She held out her arm for Mrs. Vance to go ahead of her, with Ziva following.

Ziva turned on her walkie to talk to Tony. "We are coming out now." "Copy that." Tony said.

Suddenly, Mrs. Vance stopped and turned. "I'm sorry, Agent David." Before Ziva could react, the wife of the Director of NCIS pulled out a gun and shot Ziva.

Ziva looked down at her body, stunned as she slowly fell to the floor. The walkie was still in her hand, the "talk" button still somehow on.

Tony was getting antsy. He didn't have Gibbs' famous gut, but something felt off here. He decided to go check on things himself. Just as he left the car, Ziva's voice came through.

"_We are coming out now." _

"Copy that." Tony said, still walking toward the house.

"_I'm sorry, Agent David."_ Then the horrible sound of a gun being fired. Tony broke into a run, barely stopping at the car, he told Agent Miles to leave now with the kids.

"Ziva!" Tony cried out. He could see the back door was wide open. He ran to see if he could see any sign of a car or Mrs. Vance.

Wasting no further time, he ran back through the kitchen and into the living room.

There he found Ziva, lying on her back, her eyes open. There was a gunshot wound to her upper right chest and right middle abdominal area.

"No!" Tony yelled in anguish. He ran to her and checked her pulse. It was there, but very weak and thready. First, he called "911"- he identified himself and reported an officer down.

He yanked off his jacket and pressed it against Ziva's chest wound, to staunch the flow of blood.

"Ziva…" Tony cradled her in his arms. She revived momentarily, hearing his voice. She tried to raise her hand up to touch his face. "Tony…I am sorry."

He kept pressure on the wound and tried to stroke her hair at the same time. "Shhh…you're going to be fine, do you hear me?" He almost screamed it at her.

Just then the walkie crackled to life. "DiNozzo, David- report! Director's family just sped by without your escort. Status, now!"

Tony looked at his walkie. "She shot her, Boss." That was all he could get out.

Gibbs looked at Tim, exchanging worried glances. "Who shot who, DiNozzo?"

Tony swallowed hard. "Ziva. Mrs. Vance shot Ziva and took off. Ziva is…" By this time, Tony could hear the sirens of the paramedics. They flew past Gibbs and McGee.

Gibbs gunned his car, did a dangerous U-turn and actually past the ambulance. He ran the car up onto the grass, and he and McGee bolted inside the house.

They found Tony holding Ziva. "Oh my God, Ziver." Gibbs knelt beside her and held her face, trying to get her to focus.

"I said this once to Tony and I'm going to say this to you now: you do not have permission to die, got that?" Ziva looked at Gibbs and barely nodded.

He kissed her forehead. The paramedics came in and Tony reluctantly let her go so they could start to work on her.

Tony sat on the floor, leaning up against a chair. His hands and his shirt were covered in Ziva's blood. There was blood on his face where Ziva tried to reach up to him.

Tim sat on the floor with him, in shock. Gibbs went over to Tony and squatted.

"Tony, I need you to focus. How do you know Mrs. Vance shot Ziva? Were you in here and if you were, where is she?"

"If you weren't, why didn't you have Ziva's back?"

At that Tony looked up at that. "Mrs. Vance was already in the car and told Agent Miles she realized she forgot her purse."

"She went back in on her own. Ziva and I asked Miles what she was doing and that is what he told us."

"Ziva decided to go in to cover _her._ I wanted to go with her but…" Gibbs nodded, understanding.

"I made her take the walkie with her so she could report anything unusual. There was supposed to be a team covering the back."

Gibbs looked to the open back door when Tony said that, giving himself a mental note to check on those agents.

"They were taking longer than I liked, so I got out of the car and headed back to the house."

"As I was walking, Ziva came on the walkie and said they were heading out now. Then I heard Mrs. Vance say 'I'm sorry, Agent David' and gunshots."

Tony hung his head. "I took off and told Miles to get the kids out of here."

"I didn't see anyone at first and saw the back door was opened. I ran to look outside, but there was no sign of Mrs. Vance or any vehicle."

"I ran back inside, and that's when I found Ziva…" Tony covered his eyes with his hand. He was not going to let his Boss see him cry.

Gibbs swallowed hard. If what Tony had just reported was true, they had a real problem on their hands.

And he had no doubt that Leon Vance was not going to believe Tony's report and would hold his agents responsible for his wife's disappearance.

But none of that mattered right now. The paramedics had intubated Ziva, and were bagging her until they could get her hooked up to the portable ventilator in the ambulance. She had at least three IV's going.

They already had her on the stretcher and were taking her out for transport. Tony came to life. "I'm going with her."

Gibbs put his hand on Tony's arm, but he yanked it away. "No! I'm not leaving without her!" Gibbs sighed. "Go."

Tony ran after the paramedics. "I don't care if you have to tie me to the top, I'm coming with you."

The paramedics weren't happy, but understood law enforcement partnerships. "OK, but you will need to stay out of way, got it?"

Tony nodded mutely and climbed into the back with Ziva.

"McGee." Tim looked up at his Boss, his eyes wet. "Can you drive? Are you ok to drive?"

Tim stood up, and straightened his shoulders. "I'm fine, Boss. What do you need me to do?"

"Take the car Tony and Ziva had. Go get Abby, meet us at the hospital. I'll get another team out here to secure the scene and get evidence and check on the other team from out back."

"Walter Reed?" Tim asked. Gibbs swore. He pulled out his cell phone and put it on speaker. "Tony, what hospital are they taking her to?" He heard some mumbling in the background.

"Maryland Shock Trauma, closest one to us." Tony answered, a tremor in his voice.

"OK." He turned to Tim. "You know where that is?"

Tim nodded. He dreaded telling Abby what had happened. She had been calling everyone non-stop for the last half-hour, but they were too busy to take her call.

Gibbs made a call to one of the other team leaders, bypassing Vance. He also requested a status from the agents that were supposed to be guarding the back.

Getting no response, he called back one of the other teams that should have dropped off by now from following the Vance children to check on the agents.

The first team arrived as he was giving the second team their instructions. He quickly explained that Special Agent David had been shot and Mrs. Vance was missing.

They were to treat it as an attempted murder and kidnap scene. He then ran to his car and called a number he never in his life wanted to call.

In the meantime, Tim got in the car, which still had the engine running and put it into drive. Taking a deep breath, he dialed Abby's number.

She picked up immediately. "Oh my God, McGee! Why haven't you been answering your calls? Please tell me everything is ok."

McGee took a deep breath. "No Abby, everything is not ok. I need you to meet me outside the 6th street gate. I am coming by to pick you up."

"I'll be there in about ten minutes." He hung up before Abby could ask any more questions and felt really bad about that. She deserved to know what happened; just not over a phone.

Abby was nervously pacing when he turned onto 6th. She practically ran to the car. "Where did they take her, Tim? Is Ziva going to be alright? Oh my God, I can't believe this has happened!"

Tim looked at her stunned. "Did Gibbs or Tony call you?"

Abby shook her head, looking confused.

"Well then, how do you know about Ziva?" Tim asked.

Abby grasped is arm, for comfort. "You forgot I was monitoring all of the transmissions. I heard the whole thing: Ziva telling her it was time to go, Mrs. Vance saying she was sorry, gunshots…" She couldn't go on.

"You heard all that?" Tim was excited, because it corroborated Tony's depiction of the events. "Heard it and recorded it. Mrs. Vance is SOL."

Abby looked angry and confused and upset and every other bad adjective that Tim could come up with in thirty seconds.

"So again, where are they taking her?" Abby was nothing if persistent.

"Oh, sorry. Maryland Shock Trauma. It was the closest medical center to the house." Abby nodded, and then was silent for the remainder of the trip.

They arrived at the Trauma Center ED and went into the waiting room, where they found Gibbs. Abby immediately ran into Gibbs' arms.

"Oh, Gibbs. I can't believe this has happened to our family again. Any word?" She looked around. "Where's Tony?" Her eyes hardened. "Where's Director Vance?"

Gibbs looked alarmed at her anger. "Wow, Abbs. We don't know anything for sure yet."

"Actually Boss, we do. Abby was monitoring and recording all of the transmissions. She heard it all, just like Tony said." Gibbs looked like he had been gut-punched.

This was now a thousand times worse than it was before. "Where are the recordings, Abbs?" Gibbs had visions of some helpful bureaucrat "accidently" removing or erasing the recording.

She pulled an SMS card out of her purse. "I have it all right here." Gibbs kissed her on the cheek. "We need to get that away from you so no one thinks you have it."

He looked at it. "Tony is in the back with Ziva." He said absently, like this was taken for granted.

"Why would they let him back there? It's not like they're…" Abby stopped.

Gibbs looked up. "Like they're not what, Abbs? Partners, lovers, married?"

Abby opened her mouth but nothing came out. Gibbs pulled out his cell and punched a number.

"Tobias? We've got a problem and I need you in on this. My team is at Maryland Shock Trauma. Can you get here? Thanks!"

Abby turned to Tim. "Does Gibbs think Tony and Ziva are married? I mean, wouldn't you and I know something like that before he did?"

Just then, Tony came out from the back, still in his bloody clothes. "Tony..." Abby went to hug him, but Gibbs held her back. "He's wearing evidence, Abby."

"Tony, we're going to need your shirt and coat and whatever else has blood on it. We'll see if we can get you some scrubs." Tony nodded quietly.

Tim popped up. "I'll get some evidence bags out of the car," and took off.

By the time McGee got back, a pair of scrubs had been procured for him. Tim went back with him to one of the empty bays so Tony could remove his clothes and hand them over to Tim.

Tim watched Tony silently as he undressed, one item at a time going into its own evidence bag.

Almost every bit of his clothing had blood on it, except his briefs and shoes.

He went over to the sink to wash Ziva's blood off of his hands, face and neck. He then quickly threw on the scrubs. Only then did he look up into McGee's face.

"It's not looking good, Tim." He said quietly. They walked out together to the lobby to sign over the evidence to Abby. Only then did Tony speak.

"They just took her into surgery. If they had allowed me in there as well, I'd be there instead of here…the first bullet hit her right upper chest."

"She has a collapsed lung and they put in a chest tube down here. They wouldn't let me watch."

"She's still on the ventilator, which she would be for surgery anyway. The second bullet ripped through the middle right side of her abdomen"

"They won't be able to tell the extent of the damage until they operate."

"She's lost a lot of blood, so if you can donate, that would help." He looked at Gibbs with murder in his eyes. "Where's Vance?"

"Ok," Gibbs said. "Everybody listen up. There will be no retribution or revenge taken by any member of this team, is that understood? I've called in Fornell to help with the investigation."

"Right now, we are working under the assumption that Director Vance had no foreknowledge of his wife's actions."

"Until it can be proved otherwise, he will not be held accountable."

"He will, however, be taken off this case and thoroughly questioned." He looked each of his agents in the eye, making sure they understood and accepted the orders he just gave.

"DiNozzo?" Tony was the only one who did not immediately acquiesce to Gibbs' edict.

"I can just as quickly take you off this case, and considering how close you are to this, I think that would probably be a good idea."

"Boss!" Tony protested. Gibbs put his hand on Tony's neck. "You need to stay here with your partner, got it?" Tony nodded numbly.

Just then, Fornell walked in. He looked at the group present. "David?"

"Shot by Director Vance's wife, as we were trying to get her and her kids to a safe house." Gibbs told him.

Fornell's eyes widened. "Did any one of you witness this? This is a very serious accusation."

Gibbs held up the SMS card. "Tony and Ziva had their walkies on. Whatever transpired was recorded."

Fornell looked surprised and interested. "Is there any way I can hear this here, now?"

McGee spoke up. "You can put it in any laptop or smartphone that plays recordings. My phone will work."

"Ok, can we get a private area to listen to this?" Gibbs walked up to the desk and showed them his badge and what he required.

Gibbs, Tim and Fornell headed for the conference room. Tony and Abby had already heard it and weren't ready to hear it again.

**Conference Room**

Tim carefully inserted the card into his phone. All three had pads and pens in front of them to take notes. "I'm also going to save this on to my phone and make a back-up, Boss."

Gibbs looked surprised. He was so non-savvy as far as technology, he hadn't considered that as an option.

"OK, are we ready?" Tim asked, looking at the other two.

_**This is a totally different take on the first "Promonition" I did for this episode. As before, it will be more than one chapter. Hope you like it so far. I am sure the real episode will be nothing like this, but that's why we write these stories.**_


	16. Chapter 16

_**Tim carefully inserted the card into his phone. All three had pads and pens in front of them to take notes. "I'm also going to save this on to my phone and make a back-up, Boss."**_

_**Gibbs looked surprised. He was so non-savvy as far as technology, he hadn't considered that as an option.**_

"_**OK, are we ready?" Tim asked, looking at the other two.**_

Vignette Nine: Hello, Goodbye- Part Two

Initially, there was about ten minutes of different conversations, as everyone reported in on their posts and Tony reported everyone was in the car and ready to go.

Tony: _"What's Mrs. Vance doing, Miles?"_

"This is it, Boss. Let me back it up so we get everything from the beginning. It starts after Tony says everyone's in the car." Tim re-set the player on his phone.

Tony: _"All set, Boss. The ship is ready to set sail."_

After about 45 seconds:

Tony: _"What's Mrs. Vance doing, Miles?"_

Miles: _"She's going back in. She forgot her purse." _

Tony: _"On hold for a few minutes, the Captains First Mate decided to go back for the treasure chest."_

Gibbs just now remembered that transmission. He also remembered rolling his eyes at Tony's code words. He now knew that "treasure chest" meant purse.

After about two minutes, Ziva reported in.

Ziva: _"We are coming out now." _Noises of movement were heard over her speaking.

Tony: _"Copy that."_

Mrs. Vance: "_I'm sorry, Agent David."_

Two gunshots were fired. The three in the conference room all jumped at that.

Running could be heard and Tony yelling something to Agent Miles in the background.

Tony: _"Ziva!"_

More running, sounding as if was going away in a different direction and then returning, with panting. As Tony was running, they could hear moaning and small sounds coming from Ziva.

Tony: _"No!"_ The anguish in Tony's voice made them all wince and they looked at one another.

They heard Tony make the "911" call. They could hear soft noises that they realized was probably Tony taking off his jacket to put pressure on the chest wound.

Tony: _"Ziva…"_ Tony said her name so sorrowfully, his voice full of emotion and tears.

Ziva: _"Tony…I am sorry."_ Her voice was barely audible but the sorrow and anguish could be heard in her voice. The transmission then went dead.

They sat in silence for a few moments, absorbing what they just heard.

Finally, Fornell spoke. "Ziva must have been getting ready to respond to Tony, and somehow kept her thumb on the "talk" button through all of this, until…"

"Until she couldn't hold on to it anymore." Gibbs finished.

Fornell looked at his friend and colleague. "Jethro, after hearing this, I can't help but wonder: are DiNozzo and David in a relationship?"

Gibbs looked wearily at Fornell. "Tobias, I don't know and I don't care. But if you're worried about Tony's state of mind during this investigation, don't."

"His only assignment is to watch over his partner." Fornell nodded.

"So here is my question: was this whole "family in danger" a ruse for Mrs. Vance to get extracted?"

Gibbs looked up. "You think she's working with a foreign government?"

"Well, she's not working for us, or for NCIS I am sure. It's possible she's a covert CIA operative." He shrugged.

"Excuse me." Tim butted in, finally finding his voice after listening to the shocking recording."

"How could Director Vance not notice if she left the country, since that is where the CIA operates?"

"Smart question, Agent McGee. How did they meet? This could go all the way back to then."

"Maybe she was a plant to get to him, marry him, learn what she could from him about the Navy, NCIS, who knows what else."

Gibbs thought about that carefully. "I don't know his personal life well, but I know enough that he trusts his wife completely, and things can be said under the right circumstances."

"Including the wrong thing, eh, Jethro?" Tobias smiled and Gibbs glared, knowing he was referring to Diane saying Tobias' name while she and Jethro were making love. That's how he found out she was cheating on him.

"So are we thinking she's a mole working for some other agency or perhaps a terrorist cell?"

"I can tell you what Director Vance will say." Tim interrupted.

Fornell and Gibbs raised their eyebrows at him. Fornell gave him a small smile. "And you know this…how, Agent McGee?"

"Boss, remember when Vance first took over and split us all up? I worked very closely with him." Gibbs nodded. "Go on."

"He is as much as a computer geek as I am, and I am not embarrassed to admit that he probably knows more about them than I do."

He turned to Gibbs. "As much as I would have preferred working with you, it was a great experience. He taught me a lot and I think he let me in a little bit."

"So how do you think he is going to react?" Fornell asked; interested in what McGee was going to say.

"He's going to claim that there is no way she would ever do this and that there had to be another person present who pulled the trigger or made her do it against her will; perhaps by threatening the lives of her children."

"Or, he could claim that someone got to her, again by threatening her children, maybe even the Director himself, and instructed her to somehow get back into the house and get in the car that was waiting in the back."

"It could be that shooting Ziva, or even Tony if he had been the one to go back in after her, was not the plan, but a contingency in case one of them got in the way."

McGee frowned. "I don't think Mrs. Vance knew Tony and Ziva would be in the lead vehicle following her from the house until today. So I don't think Ziva or Tony were the actual targets themselves."

Gibbs and Fornell sat in silence, absorbing Tim's analysis.

"He's right. Vance will come up with every scenario in the book to prove his wife was not responsible for this." Fornell said.

"If someone else was there, first of all Ziva would have let Tony know somehow-they have all sorts for ways for giving each other information without letting the person they are talking about know it." Gibbs considered.

"That could explain why she pressed the "talk" button; to let him know they were not alone." Tobias countered.

"Then she would have had her gun at least drawn. From the recording it is clear that Ziva thought that everything was fine."

"No one got the drop on her and then ordered Mrs. Vance to shoot her. It would be on the recording."

"Tony got in there very quickly so she must have had a get-away car waiting for her in the back." Tobias turned to Gibbs. "You didn't have a team watching the back of the house?"

Gibbs looked grim. "We did; Agents Riley and Patrick. They didn't respond when I tried to reach them. I have another team assigned to check the situation."

"Who wants to hold onto to this?" Tim had the SMS card in his hand.

Gibbs held out his hand. "I'll take it. I have the perfect hiding place for it."

McGee immediately got up and left the room, leaving Gibbs and Fornell to talk privately.

"Now Jethro, do you want to call Director Vance or should I?" They stood up.

"Jethro, I really hate to ask this. Do you think that there is any possibility that the Director is in any way involved?"

"Other than him not really knowing his wife? I can't imagine it, Tobias. But before today, I wouldn't have imagined it about Jackie either."

Fornell nodded. "What are David's chances?"

Gibbs looked sadly at his friend. "I don't know Tobias, but from what Tony was able to tell us, it doesn't look good." He thought for a minute.

"I think I'm going to let Leon call the Director of Mossad and explain to him that his daughter was shot by his wife."

Fornell made a face at that. "Any way I can be there when he makes that call?"

"I sure as hell will be!" Gibbs said.

Fornell looked troubled. "You know Jethro; maybe we shouldn't tell Director David or Mossad who shot Ziva."

Gibbs stopped and turned. "I'm listening."

"Think about it Jethro: If Director David knows that his daughter was shot, and I'm really sorry to say this, possibly killed, by the wife of the Director of NCIS, think of the ramifications."

"Not only will they most likely send a Mossad assassin to take out Vance and his family for revenge, and possibly Tony since he was her partner and didn't 'cover' her, at least from their point of view; this could jeopardize any relationship the U.S. has with Israel."

Gibbs sat down hard in his chair and rubbed his face. He was stunned at what could be coming down the pike.

Ziva may not be a citizen of Israel anymore, but that wouldn't make any difference. In fact, Ziva had told him that her father did not accept her American Citizenship and dismissed her renouncement of Israel.

He looked at Fornell.

"Tobias, I already called the Israeli Embassy. I had to tell them that Ziva had been shot, it was the only way I was able to convince someone to notify Director David."

"The first thing he is going to do is call Leon, even though I told the messenger boy that he was to call me."

Fornell thought about it. "But you didn't mention Vance or Vance's wife?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Certainly not that Mrs. Vance was the one who shot Ziva. At the time, I didn't know about the recording and all I had was Tony's statement."

"I may have said she was shot while guarding Mrs. Vance. I really…don't remember."

They went back out into the lobby. It had only been an hour since Ziva was taken to surgery. They knew she could be in there for hours.

Gibbs went up to Tony. "DiNozzo, go home and take a shower. Nothing's going to happen anytime soon."

Tony shook his head. "I am not leaving until I see Ziva."

"Uh, Gibbs?" Abby asked quietly. Gibbs walked over to her and sat down beside her, taking hold of her hand. "Yeah, Abbs, what is it?"

"Has anyone called Ducky or Palmer? I would imagine anyone who heard those transmissions has spread it all over NCIS by now."

"Shit! McGee, contact every agent involved who may have heard what went on and give them the gag order. Tell them that anyone who has spread unverified evidence regarding this crime will be dealt with harshly."

Tim nodded grimly. "On it, Boss!" He went over to a corner and pulled out his list of agents that were assigned to the detail.

Gibbs pulled out his phone and dialed Palmer's cell. "Palmer, Gibbs. Is Ducky there? Yes, but first I want to tell you so you can be ready to help him if he needs it."

"Try not to react to this, Ok? Ziva's been shot and is in surgery at Maryland Trauma Center. You can let me talk to Ducky now."

Jimmy's face lost its color as Gibbs gave him the news, but quickly tried to compose himself. "Dr. Mallard? Special Agent Gibbs would like to speak with you. No, stay in your chair, I'll bring my phone to you."

Ducky was immediately suspicious. "Why would he call you first unless…" Like Jimmy, his face became pale. Taking a deep breath, he took the phone from Jimmy and spoke.

"Jethro, what has happened? Who?" This was reminding him too much of when he received the call when Jenny had been shot and killed.

Gibbs sighed. "It's Ziva, Duck. She's been shot. She's in surgery now."

"How bad is it, Jethro?"

"I don't know, Duck. I haven't talked to any of the docs."

"I see." Ducky responded. "Were you there, Jethro? Did you see Ziva after she had been shot?"

There was silence on the other end for a moment, then a rough "Yeah."

"Then I am going to ask again: how bad is it?"

"Bad, Duck. As bad as it can get. If you can get here, I think that would be a good idea."

**Safe House – Winchester, VA**

Director Leon Vance was pacing, anxiously awaiting the arrival of his family. He was stunned when he received the threat.

He knew he had made a lot of enemies during his career, but most of his "covert" activity had taken place overseas.

If the threat was from someone in his past, then that meant a foreign terrorist or possibly a cell was working in his own backyard, and he didn't like it one damn bit.

He was brought out of his musings from the sound of cars coming up the drive.

"Finally!" He breathed a sigh of relief. He ran outside and waited for the car that held his precious family. As the cars got closer, he became more and more anxious.

The face of the driver of the first car was grim. Something was off…something had gone wrong.

The car pulled up and stopped. His two children got out before he could get to them. "Daddy!" They were crying and shaking. The Agents in the backup car walked up.

Vance looked at them and saw the looks on their faces. He leaned down and spoke softly to his children and kissed them both. He straightened up, back in Director Mode.

"Agents Whitney, Garrison! Please take my children inside while I have a few words with Agent Miles."

Vance thought he felt an icy glare from his Agents as they guided his children past him. He shrugged it off, and looked at Agent Miles, who was out of the car and standing face to face with the Director.

Agent Miles didn't hear the transmissions, he only heard the shots. At the time, he had come to two conclusions: One: that someone had been inside waiting for Mrs. Vance and shot Mrs. Vance, Agent David or both; or Two: he didn't want to think about option two.

And he didn't want to have to be the one to tell the Director of NCIS why his wife was not in his car.

"Where…is…my…wife?" Vance leaned in so that his face was almost touching Miles'.

Agent Miles swallowed hard. "I don't know, Sir."

Vance looked stunned. "Are you telling me my wife is…?"

"She was in the car and we were ready to leave. She then went back into the house to get her purse. Agent David followed her back in."

"After a few minutes, I heard gunshots and Agent DiNozzo flew by me and ordered me to leave with the kids. I did as ordered, Sir. That's all I know."

Agent Miles was telling only part of the truth. Since the children were in the car, he did not turn on his walkie as they would also hear what he would have been hearing.

But he got a phone call telling him David had been shot and Mrs. Vance was nowhere to be found. Agent Miles decided it wasn't his place to share this news with the Director.

He did feel bad, though, thinking of what must be going through Director Vance's mind_: "Where's my wife? Is she dead? Was she taken?"_

"Thank you, Agent Miles. You followed orders and got my children here safely. Well done." He dismissed him.

Vance was pissed. If something went down at his house, why was he hearing about it from some Agent and not Gibbs?"

He pulled out his phone to call him, but an incoming call beat him to it. He frowned. The name on the screen was "Agent Fornell."

He looked at the phone briefly and recovered himself. "Director Vance." He answered curtly.

"Director, are you at the Safe House? Did your children arrive safely?"

Vance's mouth tightened. "You didn't ask about my wife, Agent Fornell. And why in the hell is the FBI calling me instead of my own Special Agents?"

"Agent Gibbs has his hands full right now, and he called me in. I didn't ask about your wife, because I know she was not in the car. But I am not going to continue this conversation over the phone."

"Director Vance, you will kindly meet me at NCIS, where Agent Gibbs and I will explain to you what has transpired. I have already asked Agent Miles to drive you back to DC."

Vance's head whipped around and looked at Miles, who looked worried, but gave away nothing else.

"I don't think I like your tone, Agent Fornell." Vance spat.

Fornell didn't take the bait. "I just want to make sure you get here, Director Vance." He replied. "Safely."

"Very well, then. I will expect a full report when I arrive."

Fornell smiled grimly. "You'll get one, Director. You can count on that." He hung up.

Vance blinked a few times. He didn't like what he just heard, and he had a gnawing fear in his stomach. He went inside to talk to his children.

They ran to him immediately. "Dad! Someone shot a gun! Where's Mom?"

Vance cursed under his breath. "I don't want either of you to worry. I am sure that your Mother's fine."

"I'm going back to DC now to find out about all of this. I will call you soon." He kissed both of them again. He then walked back outside.

"Agent Miles?" Miles walked over to the car and got in the driver's seat. Vance got in the back. As far as he was concerned, he was being chauffeured back to NCIS.

**Maryland Shock Trauma**

Fornell ended his call. He looked at Gibbs. "Well, that was fun."

Gibbs gave Fornell one of his looks. "How did he take it?"

Fornell looked up like he was thinking. "He wasn't pleased. But he knows it has to do with his wife, he just doesn't know what."

"If he thinks she's dead, then I feel sorry for the Bastard."

Gibbs nodded. "He would have asked for a report from Miles, considering his wife was not in the car."

"All Miles would be able to tell him was that she went back into the house, he heard gunshots and DiNozzo told him to get the hell out of Dodge."

Gibbs frowned. "I certainly hope he wasn't stupid enough to keep his walkie on; then the kids would have heard the whole exchange."

Fornell shook his head. "Then he would have known Agent David had been shot and his wife was missing. He didn't say anything to that effect."

Just then, McGee came back to speak with them. "Boss, I've reached all of the agents involved and gave them your message. I also have some more bad news."

Gibbs and Fornell pulled Tim over into a corner where they could speak without the other's hearing.

"Dorneget and Smith couldn't find Agents Riley, Patrick or their car. They did find, however, some blood splatter where they should have been stationed."

"Shit!" Gibbs exclaimed under his breath. "Now we have two missing Agents as well."

"Or, and I really hate to say this Jethro." Fornell spoke softly. "One of those Agents was in on this, shot the other Agent and drove off with Mrs. Vance."

Gibbs looked at his team. It was bad enough that Mrs. Vance was involved, but possibly _another_ one of their own?

Just when he thought the news couldn't get any worse, his phone rang. He looked at the readout:

"Director Eli David."

_**Thanks for the great reviews. Procedurals are not my forte', so I will be hard pressed to keep up that part of the Vignette. I am military and police stupid, so what I write will be based solely on how I've seen it done on the show.**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Dorneget and Smith couldn't find Agents Riley, Patrick or their car. They did find, however, some blood splatter where they should have been stationed."**_

"_**Shit!" Gibbs exclaimed under his breath. "Now we have two missing Agents as well."**_

"_**Or, and I really hate to say this Jethro." Fornell spoke softly. "One of those Agents was in on this, shot the other Agent and drove off with Mrs. Vance."**_

_**Gibbs looked at his team. It was bad enough that Mrs. Vance was involved, but possibly another one of their own? **_

_**Just when he thought the news couldn't get any worse, his phone rang. He looked at the readout:**_

"_**Director Eli David."**_

Vignette Nine: "Hello, Goodbye"- Part Three

Gibbs sighed as he read the name. He didn't really want to talk to the Director of Mossad about his daughter in a hospital waiting room.

He motioned to the front desk clerk that he needed the conference room again. She pressed the button letting him in.

As he was doing this, he answered his phone. "Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

Eli David wasted no time. "What is this I have been told about my Ziva? Is it true? She has been shot? I demand a full explanation!"

"Director David, I am getting a conference room so that we may talk privately. If you can wait a minute, I will be able to answer some of your questions."

Gibbs could hear him muttering on the other end of the line. At least he didn't put him on hold.

Finally in the conference room, he closed the door. "Ok, Director, I can speak freely now. Yes, I am sorry to have to tell you Ziva has been shot. She was on protection detail for Mrs. Vance…"

"Who shot her?" Eli David interrupted Gibbs before he could continue. "Did you apprehend this person?"

Gibbs was pissed. "With all due respect, and excuse me if I use the term 'respect' lightly; but I just told you your daughter has been shot and your first question is who shot her? How about: 'Is she ok?' 'Is she dead?' Anything of concern would be appropriate at this time."

Eli David actually chuckled, but it was a wicked one. "Do not chastise me, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. When I hear one of my Officers has been shot in the line of duty it is always my first question. Personal emotions have no place."

"Except Ziva is _not_ one of your Officers. She is _my_ Special Agent. And her condition was my first concern, not who shot her. And it should have been yours, since she is your daughter."

"Do not tell me how to be a father to my child, Gibbs. And I still consider Ziva Mossad, whether you like it or not!"

"How about whether she likes it or not? She's an American Citizen now. I don't know what the outcome of this will be, but regardless, there will be no Mossad reprisals, am I clear?"

"Agent Gibbs, I do not think you are in a position to tell me what I can or cannot do. I will speak to Leon. He will tell me what I need to know."

He paused. "Since you are refusing to answer my questions, I will ask the one you will answer: How is my daughter?"

Gibbs wanted to tell him to piss off, but knew he wouldn't get away with it. "She was shot twice; right upper chest and right abdomen. She is in surgery now. I have no further details regarding her condition."

"I see." Gibbs could detect no emotion in Eli's voice. "Tell me; where was her favorite partner, Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, while my daughter was being shot?"

Gibbs swore. He _knew_ he would somehow find a way to blame Tony. He had to choose his words carefully. "They were assigned as backup to the vehicle that was taking Mrs. Vance and her children to a Safe House."

"There has been a threat against Leon's family?" Eli cut in, showing more emotion for them than for Ziva.

"Yes, but I will not share the details with you. Mrs. Vance suddenly returned to the house and Ziva followed her as her backup. The house had been cleared and locked up."

"Tony remained outside, but they both had their walkies in case Ziva needed backup. Ziva reported that she and Mrs. Vance were coming back out. Then gunshots were heard."

"Once Agent DiNozzo got into the house, which was probably less than a minute, Mrs. Vance was gone and he found Ziva. And that's all I can share with you at this point as it is an ongoing investigation."

"So you do not know who shot Ziva? Or you are just refusing to tell me? You are covering up for Agent DiNozzo again?"

Gibbs worked hard to control his anger. "Agent DiNozzo was not present when Ziva was shot. I am sure if he had been he would have either apprehended and/or shot the person who shot her, or like one of your Zombie Mossad Officers, leaped in front of her to take the bullet for her."

"And in case you're wondering, if their positions had been reversed, I'm sure _Ziva_ would have taken a bullet for _Tony_, which I am sure _you_ would still find some reason to blame him for."

Eli chuckled again, but not the same evil chuckle as before. "You are right. I do not like how close they are, but that is Ziva's choice, not mine. And I have no doubt that he would have done everything possible to have prevented this, if it was in his power to do so."

Gibbs remained silent, thinking about what he had just said about Ziva's choice about how "close" she and Tony were.

"I see. Well, as I said, once I talk to Leon I will learn the…remainder of the truth."

"Everything I have told you is the truth, Director." Gibbs replied.

"But not the whole truth." Eli David challenged.

"Director Vance knows less than you do right now. He was not present and is currently on his way into NCIS so we can talk to him."

"Please let his own Agents take the responsibility for telling him his wife is missing and one of his best Agents has been shot."

Eli David sighed heavily. "Of'course, you are right. I know Leon will call me when he has the chance." He hung up.

"_What a cold-blooded bastard!"_ thought Gibbs.

Eli David sat quietly at his desk. He looked at the photo of Ziva and Ari and reached for it. He traced Ziva's face with his finger. "My Ziva." He said softly.

Gibbs stormed back into the waiting room. "Went that well, huh?" Fornell asked.

Gibbs just glared at him. "Come on, we need to get to NCIS and wait for Vance. McGee!"

Tim came trotting over. "I'm sorry, I know you want to stay here, but I am going to need your help with the recording when we let Director Vance hear it." McGee nodded.

"Understood, Boss. Can Abby still stay? I know Tony will be here." Gibbs looked over at Abby, sitting with Tony. "Yeah, until we need her to start processing evidence."

"Thanks, Boss." Tim went over to Tony and Abby and told them he was going back to NCIS with Gibbs and Fornell for the conversation with Director Vance. "Abby, Gibbs said you can stay here until they really need you for evidence processing."

Tony just looked at McGee and nodded. Tim went and sat by him. "Tony, I know this is hard; it's hard on all of us. But please try to keep positive thoughts."

"This is the same woman who survived three months of torture in the deserts of Somalia! She's not going to let this stop her." Tony looked down, then back up a Tim. "Thanks, McGee. I'll try to stay positive."

McGee nodded. He turned and headed back to Gibbs and Fornell. They left and headed back to NCIS, dreading the coming meeting.

**NCIS**

They were all waiting in the bullpen when Director Vance arrived. He glared at Gibbs, then at Fornell. "My office, now!"

Silently, they all followed Director Vance into his office. Before he turned his wrath on Gibbs and Fornell, he turned to McGee. "Why are you here, Agent McGee?"

"We need McGee for the technical portion of our…discussion." Fornell replied.

"Why is this beginning to sound like an interrogation? Where is my wife?" He banged in fist on his desk.

"Leon," Gibbs said quietly, "We're going to play for you a recording of what transpired earlier at your house. When you have finished listening, we will begin the questions…and answers."

Just as he finished, Secretary of the Navy Clayton Jarvis entered the room. He turned and nodded at McGee.

Vance looked concerned, but nothing could have prepared him for what he heard on the recording.

All color drained from his face when he heard the gun shots, hearing his wife apologize to Agent David.

When he realized that it was Agent David who had been shot, he would have been lying if didn't say he was relieved it wasn't Jackie who had been shot, but it was short lived because she was one of his Agents and the daughter of the Director of Mossad.

When the recording ended, Tim packed up his stuff and left the room. Vance sat there unmoving for a few moments, unable to absorb what he had just heard.

"_There had to be some mistake! There was no way Jackie…"_

"We know what you're thinking, Leon." Gibbs said quietly.

Vance straightened up. "And what is that, Agent Gibbs." Not so subtly reminding Gibbs that he was his superior.

"What you are thinking, Director Vance," Agent Fornell stepped in, "is that there is no way your wife would shoot an NCIS Agent, and that someone else was there and pulled the trigger."

"I'm sure that's exactly what happened." Vance said forcefully.

Gibbs shook his head. "Director, are you telling us you were there?"

Vance looked shocked at that. "What? No, of'course not! I wasn't there. I was at the safe house waiting for my family!"

"Then you can't be exactly sure what happened." Fornell stated simply. "There is no other person on the recording."

"Agent David gave so signs that there was an intruder or another person present. There were no signs of a struggle and Agent David did not draw her weapon."

"I think if there had been someone else in the room, she would have at least attempted to draw her weapon and let DiNozzo know there was a problem. She did not."

"Director Vance, did you have prior knowledge that you wife would make this attempt to kill one of your agents, or that she was planning to escape from our security force?" Fornell's look was daunting.

Vance looked shocked. "You think Jackie planned this? That she purposely…no, that's not possible. I refuse to accept it."

"That's your prerogative, Director; but right now, that's exactly what it looks, and sounds, like. At this time, we do not consider you a suspect, but you will understand that you are hereby relieved of your duties."

"Agent Gibbs will replace you as Acting Director of NCIS until this matter is solved. You are suspended until further notice." Jarvis finally spoke after listening to the exchange.

"You will take no part in this investigation nor have any access to any evidence gathered until when or if you have been cleared of any involvement with this case."

"If your wife tries to contact you, you are not to go off on your own. You are to report it immediately and the team assigned to this case will take it from there. The FBI will be running point. Questions?"

"Just one: Where is my wife?"

"We don't know, otherwise she would be in interrogation as we speak."

Vance nodded stiffly, opened his drawer and removed his credentials and his gun. "Am I allowed to go back to the Safe House and be with my children?"

Gibbs looked at Fornell. Fornell nodded. "You will be escorted back under armed escort, in case there is an attempt on your life as well. We will assign two FBI agents to stand guard at the Safe House with the agents already assigned by NCIS."

Vance looked down. "May I speak with Agent Gibbs privately? I don't care if you record it, I just don't want anyone else in here."

Jarvis looked at Gibbs, who nodded. Fornell looked at Gibbs, and then followed the SecNav out of the office.

Vance removed himself from behind the desk. "I guess this seat is now yours."

"That's not what I wanted, Leon. You know that, or at least you _should_ know that."

Vance found a small smile, but then became serious. "Agent David. What is her condition?"

Gibbs hesitated. He wasn't sure if this followed under the SecNav's edict that he was to have no access to any information about the case.

"Just a second, Leon." Gibbs went to the outer office, where he knew Jarvis and Fornell were waiting. They both looked up.

"He's asking about Ziva's condition. Is that off limits? I have already spoken to Director David and he will be calling Leon for more details."

"He will become suspicious if Leon has suddenly been replaced after his daughter has been shot."

Jarvis chewed his lower lip. "I say tell him what you know right now about Agent David. If Eli David calls him, he will not be able to say much more than that."

"I am sure Leon will not reveal that his wife is the main suspect in her shooting. After that, all calls will go through you."

"The Director has stepped aside since the case involves his missing wife. Period." Gibbs nodded and returned to the office.

Vance smiled grimly. "Did you get permission?"

"Leon, this is very serious. We do not want Mossad breathing down our necks because we suspect your wife shot the daughter of their Director."

"And yes, she is considered a suspect in the shooting of Agent David and of fleeing the crime."

"We are also considering the possibility that she was coerced into doing something that led to this, but right now the only evidence we have supports the first scenario."

"I have spoken to Eli David. He will be calling you for updates; not on Ziva's condition but on the investigation."

"You can take his first call and tell him what you know about Ziva and that your wife is missing; and because of this you have removed yourself from the investigation."

"Any further calls from him will go through me, explaining you are with your children during this trying time and I have assumed temporary, and I repeat, temporary command of NCIS."

"He may still try to call you, but your phone will be monitored, Leon. We will know if Eli David or your wife has called you."

"Which brings me back to my question: What is the status of Agent David?" Vance persisted.

Gibbs then did sit down, Vance following. "It's not good Leon. She was shot in the right upper chest and right abdominal area."

"She was intubated at the scene, and had a chest tube put in at the ED for a collapsed lung. She was still in surgery when we left the hospital to come here."

"What about Di…" Gibbs held up his hand. "None of this is Tony's fault. I had to take him off the case because he is…well, his job right now is the stay with his partner."

"Is it?" Vance asked. "Was he this distraught when Agent Todd was shot? I don't recall him not being able to scour the scene for evidence then, in the pouring rain no less."

"I guess right now the difference is that Kate was killed and Ziva was not…" Gibbs couldn't finish.

"If that's what you want to think." Vance answered. Gibbs looked at him, and then stood. "There's a detail ready to take you to the Safe House."

"Your home is still a crime scene so you can't go there. If you need anything, someone will have to get it for you."

"Understood." Vance sighed. He turned to Gibbs. "Can I ask one favor?"

"You can ask, I won't promise." Gibbs replied honestly.

"Please ask that they make every effort to bring my wife back alive." At that, he turned and left his office.

Gibbs sat back down and rubbed his face. He pulled out his phone and called Abby.

"Gibbs! When are you coming back?"

"Leaving shortly. Any news?"

Abby was silent. "No, but that could be a good thing, right?"

Gibbs had to smile. Somehow, she always tried to find the bright side of the worst situation. "How's Tony?"

"Uh…" He could tell that Abby had gotten up out of her seat and was walking away from his ears.

"He is really just 'not here', Gibbs. I mean, this is almost like a replay of when we thought Ziva had died on that boat."

Gibbs sighed. "Well, keep talking to him, Abby. Have any of you eaten? Ok, we will bring food."

She brightened. "Ducky's here! He sent Palmer back to do whatever he could do with evidence."

"Well, he can start by getting the blood type of whoever was shot in the back of the house."

"What?" Abby asked, incredulous. "Why am I now hearing about this?"

"Abby, do you want to go back to your lab and start working on evidence?" Gibbs asked.

"No….."

"Then forget what I just said. I'll talk to Palmer. Can he work your DNA thingy?"

Abby cringed. "I don't think so, and I'd rather he didn't."

"Well, didn't you put that in your 'Forensics for Dummies' booklet you made out for emergencies like this?"

"Well, yes."

"Ok, then. See you soon. Take care of Tony and Ducky"

Gibbs headed down to autopsy. Palmer looked up. "Agent Gibbs, any more news about Ziva?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Palmer, I need your help in Abby's lab. You're going to get a blood sample from either Agent Dorneget or Smith. I want you to check for blood type."

"Sure thing, Agent Gibbs. Glad to help."

"Palmer, do think you can work that DNA matching thingy Abby has?"

Palmer looked a little less sure. "I'm pretty sure she has the instructions in her book she wrote, 'Forensics…'"

"Yeah, I know. 'Forensics for Dummies.' Can you do it, Palmer?"

Jimmy felt Gibbs' eyes were looking right through him.

"Yes, absolutely."

Gibbs looked at him. "Ok. You can call Abby if you have any problems."

Palmer nodded and watched Gibbs leave. "Ok, you can do this, you can do this, you can...oh hi, Agent Dorneget!"

"Do you have some evidence there? Agent Gibbs asked that I handle it."

Dornie looked a little surprised, but signed it over to Jimmy anyway.

Jimmy took the blood samples, and signed the form. He then headed upstairs to Abby's lab, which he had to call Abby to get the door key code for.

He could tell she didn't want him touching her "babies" and he promised he would do as little as possible to get the required results.

Finally getting her off the phone, he located the "Dummies" book and scanned the table of contents for the section on DNA matching. It actually looked pretty simple.

First he prepared a slide and did the test to determine blood type, which in this case turned out to be "A" positive.

He then meticulously followed the instructions in Abby's book, spinning down the blood, extracting the serum and placing the tiny vial in the machine.

He set up the parameters of the search engines and turned the machine on. Now all he could do was sit there while waiting until a match was found, if there was already DNA of his person's blood in the system.

Much to his surprise, about an hour later, the plasma dinged and the results were put up. Jimmy's jaw went slack.

"Oh, this is not good. This is definitely not good!"

_**I have no idea how they do the DNA tests, and we all know in real life DNA tests takes weeks, not hours. Poetic license. Thanks for the great reviews as always!**_


	18. Chapter 18

_**He set up the parameters of the search engines and turned the machine on. Now all he could do was sit there while waiting until a match was found, if there was already DNA of his person's blood in the system.**_

_**Much to his surprise, about an hour later**_,_** the plasma dinged and the results were put up. Jimmy's jaw went slack.**_

"_**Oh, this is not good. This is definitely not good!"**_

Vignette Nine: "Hello, Goodbye"- Part Four

**Maryland Shock Trauma**

The team gobbled down the food Gibbs brought. He even brought pizza for Tony, which at first he wasn't interested in.

But the smells finally got to him and he was shoving the food in his mouth as fast as the others.

"My goodness!" Ducky said. "At least try to _savor_ what you are eating. It is bypassing your taste buds and going directly into your gullets!"

It had been four hours since Ziva had gone into surgery. Every once in a while, a nurse who identified herself as the Patient/Family Liaison, would come out with brief updates.

She couldn't give any details, mostly that Ziva was still alive and they were still operating on her, and maybe how much longer it could be.

Finally, after four and half hours, a doctor in scrubs appeared at the surgical waiting area, where they had been directed to stay about three hours ago.

They were taking up too much space in the ED, and that's where they should have been anyway.

"Family of Ziva David?" Gibbs was pleased the doctor pronounced her name correctly.

As a group, they all stood up and walked quickly over to him. The surgeon looked at them all in surprise. "You can't all be her family?" Looking at the disparate group.

"Oh, but we are. We're one big family, all of us." Abby answered.

The doctor smiled tightly and looked at his sheet. "It says here that next of kin are Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Anthony D. DiNozzo?"

No one was really surprised that Tony was listed as Ziva's next of kin. Partners did that all the time, especially if they weren't married.

Tony had Gibbs' listed as his next of kin when he had the pneumonic plague, not his own father.

Nor was anyone surprised the Eli David was not listed as next of kin, although they knew Ziva had mentioned that their relationship was improving.

"But we're her family too!" Abby cried into Tim's shoulder. Gibbs took Abby. "We'll tell you everything, ok?" She sniffled and nodded ok, but went right back to Tim. Ducky also had his arm around her.

Tony and Gibbs stepped forward and followed the doctor down the hall into a small room. There was a table, four chairs and a lavatory.

Tony was starting to get sick to his stomach. This was beginning to look like a place they took people to tell them their loved ones were dead.

Gibbs saw his look and shook his head. "No clergy." He mouthed. Tony understood.

He guessed there would be a grief counselor or something of that nature present if they were going to tell them that Ziva had not made it through surgery.

Feeling somewhat better, but still apprehensive, he sat in one of the chairs the doctor pointed to. Gibbs took the one next to him, so that they were both facing the doctor.

The doctor took out two bottles and placed them on the table. They both contained the bullets that were removed during surgery.

Although Gibbs was interested in them, right now he was more interested in Ziva's condition.

The surgeon finally began speaking. "Well, as both of you are aware, Agent David was shot twice, once in the upper right chest and then in the right abdominal area. I understand you were both present at the time of the shooting?

Tony and Gibbs replied, "Yes." Although Gibbs was not technically there when Ziva was actually shot, he considered it a moot point.

"Good. Then you are also aware that she was intubated at the scene and received oxygen within minutes of the injuries."

"No major arteries were hit, and based on how quickly she was ventilated; I do not think we need to be concerned about a lack of oxygen to the brain and possible brain damage."

Tony sucked in his breath at that. He had never even _considered_ that a possibility. To be told now that it was unlikely was of little consolation.

If he hadn't thought of that, what other horrible thing was there he hadn't thought of?

He felt Gibbs take hold of his arm for a few seconds and heard him whisper, _"Breathe." _Tony hadn't realized he had been holding his breath and let it out and started taking slow deep breaths to calm himself.

"We'll talk about the chest wound first. The bullet did cause the lung to collapse. This is called a pneumothorax."

"A chest tube was inserted in the ED to re-inflate the lung and to optimize her oxygenation. The chest tube is still in place and will remain there for at least several days."

This was the first piece of good news that they had gotten; that she was expected to still be alive "for at least several days."

"We repaired the damage to the lung, and did not have to remove any portion of it. And I as said before, no major artery was hit, which is extremely lucky because they are several main arteries in that vicinity."

"A few smaller vessels were damaged and again we were able to repair them. I don't anticipate this to be a problem."

"However, she did have significant blood loss and required transfusions. She received four units of whole blood." He paused as he continued.

"What I can tell you about the first gunshot wound was that she was probably moving when she was shot, or the shooter was a really bad shot."

"The second shot is interesting because the track of the bullet is at an upward angle, which indicates Agent David was already falling backward to the ground when she was shot the second time."

This bit of news infuriated Gibbs. If Ziva was clearly taken down by the first shot, the second shot was unnecessary, unless the intent was for her to die a slow, painful death.

A single tap to the head would have done the job. This told Gibbs volumes: that the shooter was inexperienced, and probably panicked, which made the case against Mrs. Vance even more confusing.

He turned his attention back to the doctor, who was showing a diagram of the body's anatomy.

"The bullet entered here," He said, pointing to a place on the right side about two inches below the ribs."

"It traveled upward, grazed the liver, hit a few minor blood vessels and lodged in the intercostal space between the 7th and 8th ribs."

"She was very lucky. If it had continued its path, it could have hit her aorta or spinal cord." Gibbs and Tony digested that for a few minutes.

The surgeon cleared his throat. "I'm afraid there is a bit of bad news. The shock and trauma were too great and we were not to keep the pregnancy viable."

Tony and Gibbs looked at each other. Tony's eyes were bugged out and he looked white as a sheet. "Wha…What did you just say?"

"I said we did our best, but despite our efforts, Agent David miscarried. Again, I am so sorry."

Gibbs stared down his Senior Field Agent. Tony was silent, staring back at him; working his jaw muscles like he always did when he was upset, or hearing something he didn't want to listen to.

Suddenly, he jumped up and ran into the lavatory, slamming the door behind him. The sounds of him retching could be heard.

The doctor looked sympathetic. "I guess he was the father?"

Gibbs started to retort, "You think?" but remembered this surgeon was not a member of his team, and he had no right to snap at him.

"It doesn't look like he knew. It's possible she didn't either, it was very early on."

"Doc, can we keep this last part quiet? I mean, can it be expunged from her record?"

The doctor looked confused. "Are you asking me to alter a patient's medical record?"

Gibbs swore at himself. "No, not really. But I know Ziva would not want anyone else to know about this."

"This is something private between Ziva and Tony, and I don't want people talking about it around the rest of my team, or anyone for that matter."

"Can anyone get a copy of her medical records?" He asked, switching gears. He could picture Eli David demanding a copy.

"Only the patient may request a copy of their own medical record. If they are incapacitated, then their medical proxy's, which you and Agent DiNozzo are, would be entitled to copies if requested."

The surgeon was not the best resource for these types of questions, and was getting uncomfortable.

"What about her father?" Gibbs asked quietly.

The surgeon looked surprised. "She has a father? Then why is…never mind, none of my business."

"My answer is the same. Only Agent David can get a copy of her own medical record and she would have to do it in person, with a picture ID."

"Why are you concerned her Father will want a copy?" He couldn't help himself and asked the question.

"Because he is a high ranking official in a foreign country and this could be embarrassing for him." Gibbs lied.

He didn't care if Eli David was embarrassed or not. His only concern was Ziva's welfare.

"I see." The surgeon really didn't, but he also didn't have the time to discuss such matters.

Despite Tony's incapacitation, he veered the conversation back into his corner.

"Well, continuing on; Agent David is now in the recovery room, which I anticipate she will be for a minimum of two hours. She will then be transferred to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit."

"Will the rest of my team be able to see her there? We really _are_ all her family." The surgeon looked at him. "I'll see what I can do."

"The nurse's run the unit, I don't. But I seriously doubt they will get to see her tonight. You and Agent DiNozzo might, if you are still here."

"Tony will want to stay with her. Would that be allowed?" The surgeon looked hesitant. "He'll be here even if he has to sleep on the floor."

The surgeon nodded and again said he would look into it, shook Gibbs' hand and left the room.

Gibbs went to stand by the lavatory. Tony had stopped retching, and now the sound of water running in the sink could be heard.

When that stopped, Gibbs knocked once and opened the door. Tony was leaning against the sink, his head down.

He slowly raised his head and looked at Gibbs' face reflecting back in the mirror.

Tony couldn't tell if Gibbs was pissed, worried or in shock, but he couldn't describe how he felt at the moment either. Looking at his Boss in the mirror, he put on his widest DiNozzo grin.

He turned around to face his Boss. "DiNozzo." Gibbs said quietly.

Tony continued his bright smile. "Hey, Boss! I just found out I'm going to be a father!" He walked into the room and waved his arms in the air.

"Tony…" This time, his tone was softer and with a bit of concern. Tony stopped and looked at Gibbs. His smile slowly disappeared and his face appeared to crumble. "Hey, Boss. I just found out I _was_ going to be a father."

With that, he slid down the wall into a sitting position and put his head in his hands. Gibbs took a few deep breaths, and then went over and joined Tony on the floor.

He put his hand on the back of Tony's head, not as a slap, but as a sign of comfort. Tony sat still, not moving, trying to not let the tears he could feel tracing down his face slip through his fingers.

He sat of the floor, his Boss beside him, mourning the loss of a child he didn't even know about.

They sat there for about ten minutes until Tony was spent. Gibbs slowly got up. "I've got to go say something to the team. They must be hysterical about now. Well, Abby will be." Tony nodded numbly.

Just then the surgeon appeared again. He looked around, and then saw Tony on the floor. "You can go back to recovery to see her now if you would like."

"I've arranged it with the nurse's in ICU that you can stay, as long as you realize you may get kicked out periodically and you don't try to dictate her care."

Tony jumped up like he was shot from a cannon and followed the surgeon. He stopped and looked at Gibbs. "Thanks, Boss."

Gibbs looked confused. "Thanks for what?"

Tony hesitated. "Thanks for not getting angry at Ziva and me for well, you know."

"Well, you'd probably only be angry at me, but thanks anyway for not… aw Hell." Tony couldn't go on.

"Oh, I'm _madder_ than _Hell_, DiNozzo; but we have bigger things to worry about right now. Go!"

Tony looked really worried at that, but took off with the doctor. Gibbs watch him leave and smiled sadly, remembering when Shannon told him...Gibbs quickly stopped that train of thought, and headed back to the rest of his team.

When he reached the surgery waiting area, he expected to be tackled by Abby, but they were all huddled over in a corner talking. Tim looked up and noticed him first.

"Boss!" He looked grim. Abby and Ducky also looked unhappy.

Gibbs walked over to them. "What's happened?" He had a sinking feeling that Mrs. Vance had been found dead.

Abby spoke. "We got a call from Jimmy while you and Tony were back there. Where is Tony, by the way? Never mind."

"He was able to run the blood sample Dornie gave him and got a DNA match." Abby continued.

"And?" Gibbs prompted.

Tim answered. "The blood belongs to Agent Riley, one of the two Agents who were supposed to be guarding the back."

"And nothing came up for Patrick?" Gibbs asked. Abby shook her head. "All samples taken from the scene came from Agent Riley."

Gibbs turned to McGee. "Tim, go back to the scene tomorrow in case they missed something." McGee nodded.

"Take Tony…never mind." Gibbs had to reconfigure his team. "We'll figure out someone else to take with you. Right now my brain hurts." He handed the two containers with the bullets to Abby.

She solemnly took them from Gibbs and placed each in an evidence bag. "It was nice that they marked where each bullet came from." She tried to sound casual.

Ducky cleared his throat. "Ok, now that we have that piece of news out of the way, can we please hear how our Ziva is doing?"

"Would you like to sit, Jethro?" Gibbs shook his head. "I've been on my ass too long today already." At that, they all had to smile a bit, but the mood quickly became serious.

"Well, first of all, Ziva came through the surgery ok, and is currently in the recovery room. That's where Tony is now."

"He also wrangled his way in to stay with her when she is transferred to her room. I don't know how he does it, but he always manages to get his way."

"What unit will they be taking her to Jethro?" Ducky asked.

"The surgeon said she would be in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, which I guess makes sense since she just had surgery. I don't understand these things." Gibbs shrugged.

"From what I could understand, her most serious injury is the chest wound, which collapsed her lung. She will have the chest tube for several days."

"Both bullets missed vital this and vital that; all I know is it could have been a lot worse, but it also didn't have to be this bad."

McGee looked confused. "What do you mean, Boss?"

"According to the surgeon, the trajectory of the second bullet indicated she was going down after the first shot. There was no reason for the second shot."

"Her first shot was pretty bad in the first place, so she is not an experienced shooter, in my opinion; though she has shot and killed in the past."

He saw their confused looks. "Lee Wuan Kai? About three or so years ago? Anyone remember that case?"

"Even if Mrs. Vance did shoot her, I can't imagine she meant to kill Ziva."

Ducky interrupted. "Jethro, I'm not sure you can make the claim that Mrs. Vance did not intend to kill Ziva or Tony for that matter, had he been the one to go back. To me, the second shot would indicate a desire to finish the job."

Gibbs sat down, suddenly tired. "Maybe Ducky, but this surgeon seems to have a lot of experience with gunshot wounds."

"He said Ziva must have been moving when she was first shot, because if she was standing still, the shooter was totally inept."

"I think she panicked and shot off the second round. This leads me to be more inclined to think that she has been coerced into running off like she did, as opposed to being some covert operative working with some terrorist, trying to get extracted."

"Hell! The person who knows more about this than any of us can't talk to us right now."

"You mean Ziva." Ducky said quietly.

"And Mrs. Vance!" Gibbs was pissed.

"Dammit! And now with Agent Riley's blood being found at the scene and no sign of Agent Patrick, I'm beginning to think this may be a grudge thing against the Director."

"And what better way to get to the Director than by going through his family?" Tim added. "But Boss, even if he threatened to kill her children or even Director Vance, why did she have to shoot Ziva?"

"Couldn't she just tell her what was happening and ask Ziva to let her go? We could have put a trace on her phone."

"Which any NCIS Agent with the minimum brain cells required would know, McGee!" Abby pointed out.

She turned to Gibbs. "But I agree, I don't see why she had to shoot her twice, unless this Agent Patrick, if he is the one involved, told her to kill anyone who tried to stop her and she tried to do what she was told to do, but couldn't do it."

"I want everything there is to know about Agent Eric Patrick. Put out a BOLO. I can't imagine he would still be in one of our cars, but we need a tracer on that was well." Gibbs barked out.

"DC metro and Homeland Security for traffic cams, you know the drill. I'm calling Fornell and filling him in."

"He has his own teams at the Safe House as well. Agent Patrick knows where the Safe House is. We need to move them all, now!"

While Gibbs was talking to Fornell; McGee, Abby and Ducky headed back to NCIS. No sleep tonight.

Fornell listened intently as Gibbs updated him on the latest developments. "So now we've gone from a rogue needing extraction to a pissed off NCIS employee?"

"Sometimes you look so hard, you miss the obvious, Tobias."

"The obvious being that every employee at NCIS _should_ probably for some reason or another be pissed off at Director Vance, and therefore would resort to this type of terrorism, because that's what this is, even if it is only centered on one family.

"Think Tobias. What could be the one possible reason someone at NCIS might have a grudge against Vance?"

It hit Fornell like a ton of bricks. "The bomb. It was his car."

Gibbs nodded. "Even though he didn't put it there, we didn't do our job and Dearing was able to pull off something he never should have been able to."

"Since I was the Lead Agent, I would think I would be the target, but I have no family to lose…"

"You have your father; and the members of your team." Fornell said quietly.

_**For those wondering about the shooting reference: Season 7 Episode "Endgame." Thanks as always for the great reviews. This is going to start having more investigative stuff, so if it sounds totally wrong and implausible, that's because it is- haha.**_


	19. Chapter 19

_**It hit Fornell like a ton of bricks. "The bomb. It was his car."**_

_**Gibbs nodded. "Even though he didn't put it there, we didn't do our job and Dearing was able to pull off something he never should have been able to.**_

"_**Since I was Lead Agent, I would think I would be the target, but I have no family to lose…"**_

"_**You have your father; and the members of your team." Fornell said quietly.**_

Vignette Nine- "Hello, Goodbye"- Part Five

Gibbs shook his head. "No one knew Tony and Ziva would be in the lead car until moments before we started."

"Unless Mrs. Vance got a call that we are not aware about after they showed up; or whoever was handling her, had her wear an earwig and was communicating with her the whole time. I don't think they were the intended targets."

"And I think Tony and Ziva both would have noticed the earwig, maybe not. We won't know anything until we find either Mrs. Vance or Agent Patrick or both."

"In the meantime, move the Vance family to one of your safe houses. Agent Patrick should not have any idea where any of those are, unless he is watching the house now and follows you."

"Thanks for Lesson 101 in keeping the person in your Safe House safe." Fornell said sarcastically. "Hang on." He covered his phone but he could hear him whispering to one of his agents the change in plans.

"Ok, they will be on the move shortly." He changed his tone. "How is Agent David doing?"

Gibbs let out his breath. "She's out of surgery and in recovery. According to the surgeon, she was very lucky. She has been seriously injured but it could have been a lot worse."

"They'll move her into Surgical ICU when she gets out of the recovery room."

"And your team?"

"Well, now that they know that Ziva is out of immediate danger they went back to NCIS to work this new angle."

"Including DiNozzo?"

"Nope. I told you, he is too close to this. He is actually being allowed to stay with Ziva in ICU if you can believe that."

"Really?" Fornell asked with interest.

Gibbs was not is the mood to be baited by Fornell about Tony and Ziva's relationship, especially after what he learned this evening.

"We _are_ her family Tobias, just as you pointed out; Tony and I are listed as her next of kin."

"Interesting."

Gibbs didn't want to discuss his team/family right at that moment with Fornell. "Has Vance returned to the Safe House yet?"

"As we speak, Jethro. Let me go greet our newest guest and tell him about the move."

"I will only tell him that since we have taken over, we will use our Safe House from here on out."

Gibbs looked grim. "SecNav put you in charge; I don't care how you handle it. I know you won't tell him anything, even though he will try to get it out of you."

Fornell chuckled. "Vance doesn't intimidate me, and since he isn't my Boss, I don't give a rat's ass what he wants to hear."

"Glad it's you there and not me, Fornell."

Fornell looked around. "I'll keep you up to date on Vance's actions. I am only here right now for his arrival and now, for the family's move."

"Once that is taken care of and I am satisfied with the arrangements, I will be heading back to DC."

He hung up, and waited as Leon Vance walked toward him, escorted by two FBI agents.

**Maryland Shock Trauma, Recovery Room**

The surgeon led Tony into the Recovery Room, where one of the nurses took him over to the area Ziva was being monitored.

Having seen Gibbs monitored in the same way before when he got blown up, he wasn't too shocked by all of the wirings and screens with wavy lines moving along in a constant flow toward the right.

In fact, she looked better than Gibbs did, considering the mess his face had been in. But Tony was very worried at how pale Ziva looked.

The surgeon had said she had gotten four units of blood, but she looked like she needed several more to Tony's non-medical point of view.

The Recovery Room nurse taking care of Ziva kindly provided a stool for Tony to sit on. "You can stay for about twenty minutes. Once she's moved to her room, you'll be able to stay there longer."

Tony nodded his understanding. He cleared his throat. "I know she can't hear me, but I want to say some private things to her. Would it be ok for you to step away for a few minutes, or more?"

The nurse had a strong suspicion what he wanted to say to her, having received a full report of her injuries.

"I'll just be over at the Nurse's Station if you need anything. I can watch her monitor from there."

"Thank you, I really appreciate it." Tony's voice was emotional. He turned to Ziva and gently placed her hand in one of his, and stroked her hair with his other.

"Hey, Ziva. It's me: Tony. You're stupid partner who let you go back into that house by yourself. I am so sorry I let you down. I hope you will forgive me."

He took a deep breath. "Now it's your boyfriend talking to you. Thought I better warn you: Gibbs knows we've been seeing each other, and well, you know; that we are more than just friends."

He brought Ziva's hand to his lips and kissed it. "Ziva, sweetie. I have something to tell you."

"I don't know if you already knew this, and if you did, it's ok. I'm not mad you didn't tell me yet."

"We were going to have a baby, Ziva. Can you imagine, you and me and a baby?"

"I would have loved this baby as much as I love you, because I do love you, Ziva."

"I love you so much, and I can't believe I am sitting here right now, seeing you here. It should have been me, not you. I feel like I failed you."

"And by failing you, I failed our child. It was too much, Ziva, and we lost our little baby. I am so sorry I didn't protect both of you better."

"But I promise you, if we ever get a second chance, there is nothing I won't do to make sure you are both safe and out of harm's way. You have my word." Tony felt tears in his eyes.

He wiped his sleeve across his eyes. He didn't want to start crying in this open room.

This should have been a private moment between him and Ziva, and he knew he would be having this conversation again when Ziva was awake, but it would be in the SICU, which would not be much more private.

So he sat there quietly, holding her hand. Abby had texted him that they got the news about Ziva, and they were headed back to work and to get some rest.

"_Fat chance of that!"_ There was no way he would sleep until Ziva woke up. He shifted himself on the hard stool and settled himself in.

**Fauquier County, VA**

Jackie Vance sat on a hard chair, her hands tied to the arms, her feet bound at the ankles. She was not gagged, but she was silent, her eyes huge as she watched Agent Patrick pacing angrily back and forth, muttering to himself.

She watched him and flinched when he brought his gun up as he gestured. She was terrified for her family. This man had been waiting for her at her home earlier before Agents DiNozzo and David had arrived.

He acted normal at first, introducing himself as Agent Patrick and explaining that he and his partner would be the team guarding her from the back.

He told her for her children's safety, he didn't want them to see him. Jackie totally trusted all of Leon's agents and didn't question his remark.

He seemed embarrassed. "I'm not actually supposed to be here, I just wanted to let you know that I will do everything in my power to keep your family safe."

"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't say anything to the Agents who are assigned to follow you. I'm cool with everyone, but I am scared to death of Agent Gibbs!"

Jackie had chuckled with him, knowing Jethro Gibbs' reputation and promised she wouldn't say anything.

When Tony and Ziva showed up, he said he was heading back to his post, but in reality he only went outside and waited until he had his moment.

Tony and Ziva both took the children outside to the car and handled their luggage. That was his chance. He quickly entered the house and grabbed Jackie.

Holding his gun to her head, he told her she would get into the car, but once everyone was in place in their vehicles, she would say she needed to go back and get her purse.

He grabbed her purse and put a small gun in it. "I am counting on DiNozzo and David to remain outside and guard the kids, but if one or both of them follow you back into the house, you are to shoot them."

"If you do not do this, I will follow your children and take them and make sure they die a slow and painful death. If you do not this, I will find the Director and slit his throat."

Jackie was shaking. "Pull it together or I will kill your family!" He pushed her into the living room and went back outside to wait.

Less than a minute later, Tony and Ziva returned. "Are you ready, Mrs. Vance?" She had just come out of the bedroom and looked scared.

Ziva became concerned. "Are you alright?" Jackie shook her head. "No, but I know this is what we have to do. I've locked up the house. I am ready."

They all left together. Tony and Ziva headed to their car and Mrs. Vance got in the vehicle with her children.

Doing as she was instructed, she told Agent Miles that she forgot her purse and headed back into the house. She ran to the bedroom where she had hidden her purse.

Her heart sank when she heard Agent David come in after her. How could she shoot her? How could she shoot one of Leon's agents?

Then she remembered the cold threat by Agent Patrick, and what he said he would do if she didn't do as he instructed.

She walked ahead of Agent David, then turned and apologized, the gun drawn. She had intended to shoot Ziva in the upper arm, just enough to stun her so she could get out of the house and leave with Agent Patrick.

But Agent David was moving, and she hit her in the chest. The second shot was unintentional; she was so shocked the gun just went off.

She had no conscious thought of pulling the trigger again, and still didn't remember doing it.

After she shot Ziva, she ran outside and was manhandled into the waiting car. She didn't ask where his partner was; she didn't want to know.

They car pulled away immediately and took a sharp turn, before Agent DiNozzo could see them.

She was crying, and begging him to tell her why he was doing this, but he wouldn't talk, other than to tell her to "shut up or I'll shut you up!"

Back at the warehouse, she tried to keep calm, and listen to his ramblings as he paced. She thought she heard "Cindy", "glass" and "murderer" and other things like "incompetence" and "he'll pay."

Jackie Vance sat in that chair, thinking she may be a murderer; that she may have killed not only one of Leon's best agents, but the daughter of the Director of Mossad.

She also knew that if Ziva had not been killed, she would identify her as her shooter. She thought of her children and of Leon and of Ziva. Her life, as far as she was concerned, was over.

**Winchester, VA**

Leon Vance accepted the move to a different Safe House, an "FBI" Safe House, without comment. But inside, he understood what that meant, and it made his insides twist up.

The only reason to move them to a different safe house, and not another NCIS safe house, was that this one was compromised, and that meant someone from NCIS was behind this whole mess.

The last thing he needed was to have to clean up after his own, but now he was convinced more than ever that Jackie had been coerced and been forced to act against her will.

At this point he didn't care who or how; he just wanted to get his wife back safely. But his first concern was his children. He held out his arms as they were escorted out, and hugged them tightly.

They weren't given time for a quality family reunion as they were immediately hustled into a waiting vehicle. Vance held his children tightly as they sped off toward West Virginia.

**Maryland Shock Trauma**

As planned, Ziva spent about two hours in the recovery room, and then was transferred to SICU. Three hours later, she started waking up.

She was disoriented and couldn't breathe- there was something jammed down her throat. She tried to pull the offending object out, but found she was being restrained.

People were talking to her, but it made no sense. It was just noise.

"Agent David! Listen to me. You are in the hospital. You have a tube down your throat helping you breathe. Do you want it out?"

Ziva's eyes were wild and she nodded her head. The surgeon was at her bedside. "Ok, standby to re-intubate if she is not able to handle being off the ventilator." He barked at the nurses.

"Ready?" The nurses were all standing by. "Ok, Ziva? I'm going to pull this tube out. It will make you cough and your throat will be sore. Are you ready?"

Ziva nodded, scared. Gently, the doctor deflated the small air balloon the kept the breathing tube in place in her trachea. They used suction as they gently but steadily pulled out the tube.

She immediately started coughing and wheezing. They slapped an oxygen mask on her, and gave her some medication in her IV.

She calmed down once she realized she could breathe. She took slow breaths, but found it hurt too much to breathe deeply.

The doctor was listening to her breath sounds. "Ok, still somewhat diminished on the right. Let's make sure that chest tube is at the proper suction." He spouted off a bunch of orders.

Finally, he turned to Ziva. "Agent David, I am Dr. Everett. I operated on you yesterday. Do you remember what happened?"

Ziva was listening to the doctor, trying to synthesize what he was saying. She tried to remove the face mask, but Dr. Everett stopped her.

"You can speak with the mask on. Do you understand?" Ziva nodded her head. She swallowed, making a face at how sore her throat was. She could barely croak out the word. "Tony."

Dr. Everett smiled. "Ah, the intrepid Agent DiNozzo. He is fine. He hasn't left your side since you were shot."

Ziva looked sick. "Mrs. Vance." The doctor looked confused. "Excuse me?" Ziva shook her head. "Tony." She repeated; her voice barely a whisper.

The doctor smiled and nodded. "I will go get him."

The minute Ziva woke up and started thrashing about, Tony had been kicked out of the unit. He was pacing outside the automatic doors.

Ziva looked so scared, he was pissed he was told to leave. He was just about to hit the intercom and demand to be let back in when the doors opened and he saw Dr. Everett standing there.

"You can see her now. We took out the breathing tube and she now has an oxygen mask. Her throat is very sore, so try to keep her talking to a minimum. She asked for you."

Tony smiled wide at that. "Thanks, Doc!" He rushed over to her room and opened the glass door. She looked so small in the huge hospital bed, but she looked so much better than when she was hooked up to the ventilator.

He walked slowly over to her and pulled back his chair which had been pushed out of the way. He grabbed her hand and kissed it, then kissed her forehead.

If he thought it would have been safe to move the oxygen mask, he would have kissed her on the lips, but he didn't want to do anything that might hurt her.

"Hey…" He finally said softly. "You really scared me, you know that?" He stroked her hair. Ziva was holding onto his hand for dear life.

Tony held up their entwined fingers. "Gibbs knows about us."

Ziva did not look like she really cared. "Tony…" She tried to talk.

"No, Shhh… the docs said you shouldn't try to talk." Ziva squeezed his hand and looked angry. "OK, I'll tell you what I know. If I don't bring up what you want to say, I'll let you give it a try. OK?"

Ziva nodded. Tony took a deep breath. "From the evidence we have, you were shot twice by Mrs. Vance, once in the chest and once in the abdomen. You have a chest tube in for a collapsed lung, but the bullets missed most of the major things in your body."

Ziva relaxed. "Was that it? That Mrs. Vance shot you?" Ziva nodded. Tony stroked her arm. "I've been here the whole time, so I have no idea where we are with the investigation. Gibbs called Fornell in."

Ziva nodded her understanding. She tried to touch his face. "Sad." She barely croaked out. Tony hung his head, and swore when he saw the tears start to drop.

"Tony?" Ziva voice was barely a whisper, but the concern spoke volumes.

"_Dammit"_ Thought Tony. He looked deeply into Ziva's eyes. "Ziva, sweetheart; there was more than one casualty." He gently laid his hand on her lower abdomen.

Ziva looked at him confused, and then slowly, understanding dawned in her eyes. She shook her head back and forth. "No, no, no…" She started crying.

"Shhh, Ziva. We'll be ok, I promise, we'll get through this."

She looked at Tony, her eyes liquid pools of sorrow. "I am so sorry." Her voice was barely audible.

"Hey, I'm the one who screwed up. I didn't protect you, both of you! This is all…my...fault; it's all…" Tony wrapped his arm over her waist and laid his head down on her bed as close to her as he could get without hurting her or get in the way of her IV's.

Ziva brought her left arm up and cradled Tony's head as much as she could, and stroked his hair. Together they cried, comforting each other.

Gibbs was standing outside Ziva's room, witnessing this private moment of intimacy and sorrow his agents were sharing. He turned away so they wouldn't see him; so that they wouldn't see that he had seen _them_.

_**Thank you, thank you for the amazing reviews. You-all are just great!**_


	20. Chapter 20

"_**Hey, I'm the one who screwed up. I didn't protect you, both of you! This is all…my…fault; it's all…" Tony wrapped his arm over her waist and laid his head down on her bed as close to her as he could get without hurting her or get in the way of her IV's. **_

_**Ziva brought her left arm up and cradled Tony's head as much as she could, and stroked his hair. Together they cried, comforting each other.**_

_**Gibbs was standing outside Ziva's room, witnessing this private moment of intimacy and sorrow his agents were sharing. He turned away so they wouldn't see him; so that they wouldn't see that he had seen them.**_

Vignette Nine- "Hello, Goodbye"- Part Six

Gibbs waited about ten minutes, then asked the nurse to let Tony and Ziva know that he was here. He wanted to give them time to pull themselves together before he came.

About fifteen minutes later, Tony came out to the waiting room, looking for his Boss. "Hey, DiNozzo." Gibbs stood so Tony could see him.

Tony still didn't know what to say. "Ziva's awake and they took that breathing tube thing out. The nurse said you could come back." Gibbs followed Tony, retracing his earlier steps.

He stepped inside the room, and relief flooded over him as he saw Ziva looking at him, trying to smile. "Oh, Ziver." Gibbs went over to her and kissed her head. He took her hand and held it tenderly.

"I'm sor…" Gibbs held up his hand. "There was no way you could have known what was going to happen. None of us saw this coming."

"No, Ziva. I'm the one who's sorry." He looked deeply in her eyes, making sure she understood what he was saying. Big tears threatened to flow as Gibbs stroked her hair.

"It wasn't fair. To either of you." He turned slightly to include Tony. Tony tried to look appreciative, but failed.

"Do we know any more, Boss?"

Gibbs nodded. "Ziva, are you able to talk ok?"

She nodded slightly. "Only little. Very sore." Her voice sounded so raspy it made Gibbs wince. "Ok, I'll try to get answers out of you with head nods."

"Boss! I don't think Ziva should be interrogated right now. She just woke up!"

Ziva held out her hand to Tony, and shook her head. "Ok…" She tried to get him to understand.

Tony acquiesced and let Gibbs continue.

"Ziva, did Mrs. Vance shoot you?" Ziva nodded.

"Was there anyone else in the house that you were aware of?" This time, she shook her head "no."

"Did you have any indication that Mrs. Vance would do something like this; shoot you and take off?" Ziva looked thoughtful.

Tony stood up at that. "You thought something was up? Why didn't you say anything?" He was angry.

"Tony…" Gibbs touched his arm. Ziva shook her head, and croaked out. "Not that, then…" she shook her head again, frustrated. Gibbs thought he understood.

"She was acting strange, but you only see it now, you didn't pick up on it then, is that what you are trying to say?" Ziva looked relieved and flashed Tony a scowl and held out her hand toward Gibbs.

"Ok, I'm sorry. It's hard with you not being able to speak. It's like trying to mind read. No, don't get mad, it's not your fault. I'm sure your throat is killing you."

Ziva sighed and relaxed more into her pillows. Gibbs squeezed her hand. "Ziva, you've done enough. I'm going to take Tony for a walk, and then he'll be back."

Ziva's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh, don't worry, I won't hurt him." Gibbs only half-smiled at her. She did not feel relief, and neither did Tony if his expression was any indication.

Gibbs walked him down the hall until he found an empty conference room. "Sit!" Gibbs ordered. He paced about for a minute, and then leaned on the table.

"Rule No. 12, DiNozzo. There's a reason for those rules. It's so people, _my_ team, _my_ family; _they_ don't get hurt!"

Tony watched him silently. "With all due respect, Boss; Rule No. 12 didn't take away that life Ziva and I created; a person with a gun did. Ziva would have been shot whether we were seeing each other or not."

"I'm not going to let you blame me or Ziva for what happened yesterday. Do you think I'm going to end our relationship because of this?"

"Well, think again, because I have no intention of ending it, even if it means you splitting up the team."

"I'm in this for the long haul." Tony was adamant.

Gibbs looked at Tony. "Aw, hell." He dropped into one of the chairs.

"Are you going to split us up?" Gibbs rubbed his face with his hands. He didn't need this shit right now.

"I haven't decided yet. In the meantime, I have some updates for you."

Tony pulled his chair in closer. "There were two Agents assigned to watch the back, Riley and Patrick." Tony nodded.

"Agent Patrick is missing, and blood identified as belonging to Agent Riley was found where their car should have been stationed."

"I have McGee and Dorneget back at the scene this morning to see if anything was missed."

"Dammit!" Tony said. "So, what are you thinking now? Agent Patrick is behind all of this? That would mean it's about the Director's family."

Tony considered the possibilities. "I could never really see Mrs. Vance as a covert operative, so he must have somehow gotten to her before we arrived and threatened her." He looked at Gibbs as if a light bulb just went off in his head.

"I think I know what Ziva was trying to say back there."

Gibbs leaned in closer. "About there being some sort of sign?"

Tony scratched his head. "We took the kids out and she stayed inside. When we went back in to get her, she seemed somewhat flustered, maybe even agitated."

"Ziva asked her if she was alright, but she just said she was upset about everything that was going on and she would be fine once we left."

"If Patrick is involved, he must have given her instructions while we were outside, but I swear I never saw any evidence that anyone else had been there, and I'm sure Ziva didn't either."

"I believe you, Tony. Your job was to get them out of the house and into the car. You did your part."

"But I'm still surprised Mrs. Vance would go along with killing Ziva or me for that matter." Tony was angry.

Gibbs shook his head. "I doubt that was the plan. He probably told her to shoot whoever it was if anyone came back after her, just to get them out of the way while he took off with her."

"That's a big assumption, Boss; based on what? Wishful thinking? I realize this is Director Vance's wife we are talking about, but as far as I'm concerned, she attempted to kill Ziva, ordered to or not."

"And that's why you are not part of this investigation. I can't have biased Agents taking lead on this. That's why the SecNav put the FBI in charge."

"What about Vance?" Tony asked.

"He is at a new FBI Safe House with his children. He is not taking part in this investigation."

"He has been told as little as possible, but Vance is not stupid. I am sure he has figured out there might be NCIS involvement when they moved them."

"Ok, well; _good luck_ to them trying to protect him. I have someone I need to get back to, since I'm not a part of this investigation."

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs stopped Tony before he left the room. "You need to get your emotions under control before your go back to see Ziva. She needs you to be with her 100% right now."

"I get that you're pissed. I'm pissed too. But Ziva needs love and comforting right now, not stupidity."

Tony stopped in his tracks and turned around. "She didn't know, Gibbs. I had to tell her…" Gibbs walked up to Tony and put his hand on his shoulder.

"I know, Tony. And that's why she needs you now. Let _us_ take care of business. You take of Ziva." Just then his phone rang. He held back Tony.

"Yeah, McGee, what have you got?" Gibbs listened quietly, but Tony could tell whatever he was hearing wasn't good.

"Ok, well, I guess we know what we're truly looking at here. I want everything on Patrick. Yesterday!"

Gibbs slammed his phone. "What happened, Boss?" Tony asked quietly.

Gibbs sat again, tired. "They found the car assigned to Riley and Patrick. Riley was stuffed in the trunk."

"He's dead then." Tony made it as a statement.

"No, he's still alive but in critical condition. But we've confirmed that Patrick is the one behind this."

"He missed a casing. McGee found it and Abbs pulled off a print. It was his."

Tony started to put his hands in his pockets, and then remembered he was wearing scrubs. He crossed his arms instead. "So what is his beef with Vance?"

Gibbs looked at Tony like he was from another planet. "I don't know, DiNozzo. Maybe a passed up promotion, maybe he doesn't like the ties Mrs. Vance has been making Leon wear lately."

"Maybe it has something to do with an explosion at the Navy Yard…" He looked significantly at Tony.

Tony's eyes opened wide. "Well, I don't recall him being significantly injured, so if that _is_ his motivation, someone close to him was seriously injured or killed."

Gibbs grabbed his phone. "McGee, we need a list of all fatalities from the May 15th explosion. Also get a list of those most critically injured who died later, those still in hospital and missing."

"Yeah, I know. We need to see if any of them have a link to Agent Patrick. Get Abby, Ducky and Jimmy to help. HR may even be able to provide some data."

"I think I remember the Post listing the names of those killed. Thanks. Yeah, she looks good. I'll tell her." He hung up for the second time.

**NCIS**

"Did you all get that?" Tim asked. Fortunately, he had the phone on speaker and all of them happened to be in Abby's lab.

"So now Jethro is thinking personal vendetta." Ducky responded.

"But this is really extreme. I mean, I love all of you and if any of you had…you know; I don't think I would plan to take out Vance and his family. This Agent Patrick must be seriously psycho." Abby added.

"Well, we all react differently to tragedy, my dear Abigail. Unfortunately for some, it does take them over the edge."

"If I'm not mistaken, I remember a group of agents who planned a "fact-finding" mission, whose real purpose was to avenge the reported death of one of their own."

Abby and McGee looked at each other when he said that. "That was different, Ducky. It was Ziva!" Abby protested.

"Perhaps this person that Agent Patrick is seeking vengeance for is _his_ Ziva. Oh, don't misunderstand what I am saying. I am by no means validating his actions."

"I'm just reminding each of you that the human mind and heart are complex organs and not dictated by common sense or necessarily a sense of right or wrong."

"Well, I think Gibbs thinking HR would be a good bet is probably our best place to start." McGee turned to Ducky. "Ducky, I think you and Jimmy would be best to go talk to them."

"I don't think what's happened is common knowledge and it would make more sense for the ME to want to complete his records, than a bunch of nosey agents trying to get all the gory details."

"Brilliant, Timothy. I agree with your assessment wholeheartedly. What will you be doing?"

Tim looked grim. "I'm going to talk to Patrick's Team Leader to see if he knows anything about his personal life-girlfriend, wife, lover, boyfriend, relative…"

**FBI Safe House**

Vance finally got his children to sleep. His efforts to get information out of the FBI had been unsuccessful thus far, not to his surprise. Just then his phone rang.

"Vance." He answered curtly. "Shalom, my friend." Eli Vance made good on the promised call he made to Gibbs. "Please tell me that your lovely wife is home and safe."

Leon's mouth formed a grim line. "Shalom, Eli. Unfortunately, my wife is still missing. I am afraid I can't share any news with you."

"I have taken myself off the case since I am so personally involved. I need to be with my children."

"The FBI is running the ball since this is a kidnapping."

Eli listened closely. "Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs said your family was being taken to a Safe House. There has been a threat to your family."

Leon sighed. "I can only speculate that was a ruse to get to Jackie. But as I said, I am not an active part of this investigation, so I have no other information."

"My children and I are at a Safe House as a precaution in case the threat against the family was real."

"I am so sorry you have to go through this, my friend. You are of'course still in charge at NCIS."

"No, Eli. I have stepped completely aside while this investigation is ongoing. All further inquiries are to go through Agent Gibbs, who is Acting Director."

"I see." Eli David carefully considered his next words. "They consider you a suspect."

"They do no such thing, Eli. This was my decision. My children's mother is missing. They need me far more than NCIS does, right now."

"Of'course, that was insensitive of me." There was a brief moment of silence. "Tell me. Have they given you any word about my daughter's condition?"

"I am sorry, my friend. I have been given no further updates beyond the initial report I received from Agent Gibbs, which I am sure is what he told you. You will need to contact him for your daughter's condition."

"Or Agent Anthony DiNozzo, I would imagine. Tell me, Leon. Were you aware that two of your agents are…involved?"

"Eli, as much as I know that probably pisses you off, I would be lying if I said I wouldn't be surprised; but you'll forgive me if I wish to focus on my children right now and not your attitude toward Agent DiNozzo."

Eli David smiled. "You are quite correct, my friend. Please forgive me for bringing my personal matters into yours."

"You and your family have my prayers that your wife will soon safely be returned to you."

"And my thoughts and prayers are with Agent David, Eli. When I see Agent Gibbs, I will ask him to call you with an update."

"Shalom, Leon."

"Shalom, Eli." Vance hung up. "Did you get all of that?" He barked out at the FBI agents guarding him. They just looked at him.

**NCIS**

Tim had been right to send Ducky and Jimmy to HR. They already had a spreadsheet of the victims killed, injured and died later, injured and still hospitalized, injured and still off work, and those back at work.

Included in the spreadsheets were the departments they worked for, the name of their immediate supervisor and the name of the next of kin who had been notified.

"This is a gold mine, Dr. Mallard!" Jimmy exclaimed. They both poured over the spreadsheet, saddened by how many entries there were.

They concentrated first on the "next of kin" column. Agent Patrick was not listed. They then looked for agents with the same last name or who worked in his particular area.

There was one agent, Agent Gary Simmons from his unit, who had received a minor burn and some smoke inhalation, but was only held in the hospital overnight.

He was back at work within the week, and there was no "Patrick" listed on the spreadsheet.

They jotted Simmons' name down for follow-up; he may have some insight into Agent Patrick's private life.

They then narrowed their search on the female victims. Unfortunately, no ages were listed, so they couldn't narrow the search further to someone closer to Agent Patrick's age unless Ducky or Jimmy had known the woman in question.

When they were done with their analysis, they returned to Abby's lab, figuring McGee would most likely be down there. To their surprise, he wasn't.

"Hi Ducky, Hi Jimmy." Abby looked up from her work. Ducky looked around.

"Where is Agent McGee? I assumed he would be down here?"

Abby shook her head. "He's talking to Patrick's Team Leader, Agent Givens. Don't envy that guy right now."

Ducky nodded in understanding. Abby noticed the sheets in his hands. "What do you have there, Ducky?"

"Well, Mr. Palmer and I have narrowed down the field of possible employees that may be at the root of Agent Patrick's current state of mind."

"If we are going with the premise that he is seeking vengeance for someone who may have been killed or severely injured in the explosion; and they were _not_ an employee of NCIS, perhaps an unfortunate visitor that day, we may be…"

"Screwed." Jimmy added helpfully. Ducky looked at Jimmy. "Ah, yes. Thank you, Mr. Palmer for that summation."

**FBI Safe House**

Vance followed the FBI agent as instructed, his curiosity peaking. He knew that there had been a breakthrough in the case, and it would only be a matter of time before they had to tell him something.

He was led to one the large vans, that was being used as the base of operations. It was set up with computers, monitors and all sorts of other electronic equipment.

Once he entered the van, he was met by Agent Fornell. "Vance." Fornell acknowledged. Vance barely nodded his head. "I am assuming there is new information that can be shared with me?"

"You are correct, please sit. And before you ask, no; we have not located your wife."

Vance actually felt relief at that, since this seemed to be a meeting of some seriousness, and he didn't want to hear any bad news about Jackie.

"We've been able to determine that one of your agents, Eric Patrick, is behind all of this; He has taken you wife, and we are now working under the assumption that he threatened her in such a way that she was forced to shoot Agent David. What he said or did is not known at this time."

"I have spoken to Agent Gibbs. Agent David is in SICU and is awake. She has been able to identify your wife as the person who shot her, and denies there was another person present at the time of the shooting."

Fornell let Vance digest this news before continuing on. "From evidence at the scene, it appears that Agent Patrick planned to take your wife all along, and it may be he is the one who initiated the threat to your family, so the opportunity would exist for him to legitimately be at your house."

"He disposed of his partner, Agent Riley. We found their agency car and Agent Riley had been shot by Agent Patrick and put in the trunk of the car. Miss Sciuto was able to life a print from a shell casing left at the scene: it belongs to Agent Patrick."

"Agent Riley is in critical condition and it doesn't look good."

Fornell looked quietly at Leon. "Director, is there anything you can tell us about Agent Patrick? Did you know him well?"

Vance thought carefully. "I know all of my agents, especially the ones stationed at NCIS; but I don't know their personal lives."

"From the reports I have received, he was a good agent, conscientious and meticulous in his work, and eager to please."

Vance looked surprised. "What?" Fornell asked.

"When they put up the memorial stone, Jackie and the kids were there. I remember Agent Patrick coming up and thanking me for keeping them safe. He seemed interested in my family, but I didn't think much of it."

"So he could have been checking out your family. I would assume he would have had no reason to meet your wife previously."

"Could have been an act, I suppose; to see what they looked like. He has never been disciplined, and I have never had any personal run-ins with him. What premise are you working on?"

"Unless he just suddenly had a total mental breakdown, we are going with the obvious; the bombing."

"We are looking as deep as we can get into his personal life to see if there was someone important to him who died or was seriously injured."

"It was my car…" Leon still struggled with the concept that his car had the bomb in it. And in many ways, he still blamed himself for the explosion.

If he blamed himself, then why shouldn't every employee at NCIS blame his as well?

_**Thanks again for the great reviews. I am hoping to close this out soon.**_


	21. Chapter 21

"_**Unless he just suddenly had a total mental breakdown, we are going with the obvious; the bombing. We are looking as deep as we can get into his personal life to see if there was someone important to him who died or was seriously injured."**_

"_**It was my car…" Leon still struggled with the concept that his car had the bomb in it. And in many ways, he still blamed himself for the explosion. If he blamed himself, then why shouldn't every employee at NCIS blame his as well?**_

Vignette Nine: "Hello, Goodbye"- Part Seven

"So what is his endgame, an eye for an eye? In which case, my wife is already dead. Have we received any ransom calls?" Fornell shook his head no.

"And if your wife still has her cell phone, it is not turned on. Efforts to locate her by the GPS signal on her phone have been negative."

"So we have no idea where he could possibly be, or where he could have taken my wife?"

"We had agents stay at the first Safe House, in case he showed up there. So far there has been no sign of him."

"So we know who, probably why, but aren't any closer to getting this taken care of." Vance summed up the situation as it currently stood.

"Agent Gibbs and his team are working around the clock to find out everything they can about this Agent, including who may have been the victim who instigated this attack."

"We can use your help, Vance; but only in the background, not at NCIS. You are still too close to this, so you will not be calling any shots."

"But I welcome your expertise and can use you in a consultant capacity, especially regarding your wife."

Fornell hesitated only slightly. "Do you think she will try to escape or do anything that could further jeopardize her safety?"

Vance smiled grimly. "I guess it depends on where she is, and whether or not she is free to move around or tied up or locked up somewhere."

"Jackie is a fighter and if Agent Patrick threatened our children in any way, she can be a Mama Bear."

Fornell allowed himself a small smile. "Well, that could work to our advantage, but it could also work against her."

"I hope, for her sake, she thinks before she acts, if she does decide to do something on her own."

**Maryland Shock Trauma**

Tony was gone for almost an hour before he returned to Ziva's room. She looked at his face, trying to read his mood.

He sat down in his chair and took her hand. "How bad was it?" Ziva whispered, wincing.

"Don't talk. Oh, he went off. 'Rule No. Twelve;' blah, blah, blah. I told him I was not listening to that crap and there wasn't anything he could say to change my mind."

"I told him if he didn't like us being together, he would have to split the team." Ziva's eyes got huge at that and begged the question.

Tony shook his head and kissed her hand. "He said he hadn't decided yet, but I don't think he will."

"He then gave me some updates, which I am not going to share with you, because there is nothing you can do about it and I want you to rest and heal."

Ziva looked frustrated, but knew Tony was right. There was absolutely nothing she could do right now.

But he could. She pointed at him, and croaked out. "You go…" Tony smiled, knowing she was telling him to get back to work, but he shook his head.

"You are my assignment, which I would have insisted on anyway. I am, as Gibbs put it, a 'biased agent', and he can't have me working this case."

Ziva looked confused. "Biased?" She mouthed the word.

Tony rubbed his face, noticing for the first time the days' plus growth of beard. "I am not overly concerned at the moment regarding the welfare of Mrs. Vance or Director Vance for that matter."

"I certainly don't want anything to happen to their kids, but let's just say I'm not highly motivated to doing everything I can to save Mrs. Vance's life."

Ziva' eyes watered, understanding what Tony was saying and why he was saying it. Tony's eyes also started to water. "She could have killed you, Ziva. She killed our child."

"I don't care whether it was intentional or if she was coerced, which is what they are saying now."

"She didn't have to shoot you, or at least she didn't have to shoot you twice."

Ziva gripped Tony's hand hard. He leaned his head down so he was next to her.

"I wish you didn't have all these gadgets and gizmos. There's nothing more I want to do right now than hold you in my arms."

He lifted her oxygen mask and gently kissed her lips, then put it back down. "You are stuck with me, David, whether you like it or not."

Ziva smiled at that, sounding more like the Tony she fell in love with.

**Fauquier County, Virginia**

Jackie Vance watched her captor, trying to understand his ramblings. He was clearly not in his right mind.

She knew if she said the wrong thing, it could put him over the edge. But she couldn't just sit there, helpless.

Leon would expect her to fight. Besides, as far as she was concerned, her life was over anyway.

"Uh, excuse me, Agent Patrick? I really need to use the ladies room. I don't know if there is a bathroom here, but please, I really need to…"

Agent Patrick turned toward her, his gun in his hand. "Go to the bathroom? Go to the bathroom! Cindy is dead and you want to go to the bathroom?"

He pointed his gun at her, shaking. "Oh, I am so sorry, Agent Patrick. I didn't hear the news about Cindy. What happened?"

Eric Patrick began pacing. "Your husband is what happened! If he hadn't wanted that stupid report, she wouldn't have been up there! She would have been just fine, just like the rest of her office."

Jackie figured out quickly that Cindy had been killed in the bomb explosion in May, and she assumed by the way Agent Patrick was acting that she had been his girlfriend or a relative.

"You must have loved her very much."

Agent Patrick stopped and looked at Mrs. Vance. To her surprise, he sat on the floor in front of her. "We were talking about getting married; we were going to have kids…"

Jackie thought quickly, trying to keep him in a contemplative mood rather than one of anger. "Tell me about her." She asked quietly.

Eric Patrick's face lit up. "Oh, she was the most beautiful girl I had even seen. Beautiful face, deep blue eyes."

"And smart; she was so smart! Well, she wouldn't be working in finance if she wasn't."

"I'll bet everyone liked her." Jackie encouraged.

Patrick nodded emphatically. "Oh, yeah. She was so popular with all of her co-workers. Everyone didn't just _like_ her; they _loved_ her."

Jackie leaned forward as far as she could and looked deeply into Eric Patrick's eyes. "I am so sorry for your loss. Do you have something to write with?"

"I would like to write down her name, so we can make a donation in her honor and memory. And of'course in your honor as well."

Agent Patrick stood up and slapped at his coat. "I have a pen, but no paper." Jackie smiled sympathetically.

"I think I have some paper in my purse. If you will let me have it, I can write it down real quick."

Agent Patrick looked confused for a moment. "Are you trying to trick me?"

Jackie Vance looked surprised. "Oh no, absolutely not. I've lost people I've loved as well. I know how it hurts. I really just want to write down her name so we can make that donation."

"Well, I guess that would be ok." Eric Patrick looked around, and located her purse and handed it to her.

Jackie could tell that this Agent Patrick was not in his right mind. The death of his girlfriend had sent him over the edge.

Agent Patrick thought about how things had gone so wrong. Somehow, he had managed to go through the motions of daily life.

No one was the wiser of the strange ramblings in his head; of the words that kept telling him he needed to avenge her death.

He knew he was smarter than most of the other agents, _especially_ that DiNozzo character.

He once tried to engage him in a conversation and he looked right through him.

Rich boy; thought he was so superior to everyone else. He wished _he_ had been the one to come back into the house, and not Agent David.

Until he met Cindy, he had been attracted to her, but she was dating some guy from the CIA or something. But he still liked her.

If things hadn't worked out with him and Cindy, he would have pursued Ziva again, since she broke it off with that other guy.

Jackie watched him closely, almost seeing the wheels turning in his head. From what conversation they had, she could see that he could be easily distracted.

She just hoped she could keep it up. She truly did feel terrible that he lost his girlfriend, and was honest to him about her concern and sympathy.

She hoped she could get him on her side. There was no way she was going to let this young, disturbed Agent anywhere near her children, no matter how bad she felt about his loss.

"Uh…" Jackie lifted her hands, showing them tied at the wrist. "Oh, yeah." Patrick said. "Are you right handed or left handed?"

"Right handed." Jackie said, smiling at him brightly.

"Ok, well, I know you can't run anywhere." He untied her right arm. Jackie shook it out to get the blood flowing again.

Again smiling, she thanked him profusely for his kindness and gratefully took her purse, making a big deal about rummaging around one handed looking for something to write on.

"I know I keep a pad of paper in here, just for things like this!" Keeping her eye on the Agent, she felt for her cell phone and quickly turned it on and turned the volume off. She then realized the gun was still in her purse.

Watching Patrick carefully, she slipped the gun from her purse and slipped it under her pants waist band.

"Here we go!" She said brightly, holding up a sticky note pad. "Never leave home without them!"

She held out her hand. Patrick looked confused. "Your pen?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." He handed it over to her.

"Ok…" Jackie began. "Her named was Cindy…"

"Cynthia, Cynthia Collier. She worked in the Finance Department."

"Great. Cynthia Collier, Finance. Do you know if she had a favorite charity?"

Agent Patrick looked stumped at that. "Well, we were going to have kids, so maybe something to do with military families and children."

"I think that is an absolutely wonderful idea. I am sure she would be very proud of you for thinking of it."

Agent Patrick stood tall at that and puffed out his chest.

Jackie wracked her mind to keep his pride inflated. "Maybe we can even look into starting a Foundation in her name, to help those who have also suffered loss."

Agent Patrick looked excited and sat down again in front of her. "You know, I thought of something like that, too! 'The Cynthia Collier Foundation for Victims of Acts of Terrorism.' That's sounds pretty good, doesn't it?"

"I think it sounds like a wonderful name, and I would be honored to serve on the Board of Directors. Of'course, you would have a big hand in the running of this foundation." Jackie kept writing for a while.

She let him sit and think about that for a while. "Uh, can I borrow some of your sticky notes? I have some ideas I want to right down before I forget them."

Jackie Vance handed her captor her pad of sticky notes and returned his pen. "Of'course, I think that is very smart of you. Don't want to leave out any great ideas!"

He smiled proudly, put his gun down on the floor in front of him, and bent over and began writing furiously.

**NCIS **

Gibbs was on his way down to see Abby when his cell rang. "Dammit." He cursed quietly to himself. He went behind the stairs that led up to the Director's office.

"Director, I apologize for not getting back to you sooner regarding Ziva's condition. As you can imagine, we have been working non-stop."

"And yet you still have not found Mrs. Vance." It was not a statement, it was an insult.

"Director _David_, is there a reason for your call, other than to tell us how inept we are at doing our jobs?"

"I have spoken to Leon. You have removed him from office." Eli spat.

"I assure you I have done no such thing, although I do believe it is none of your business. Leon chose to step aside as he is too close to the situation and needs to be with his children."

"Hmmph! That is what he said to me." Eli grumbled.

"And you don't believe him? Well, that's your problem. Unless you have any interest in the condition of your daughter, I am too busy to continue this call, and I will not discuss this case with you."

Eli chuckled. "Eli was right to have you step in as Interim Director. You say nothing, just as the others."

Gibbs sighed. "You have five seconds to ask about Ziva, otherwise I am hanging up. Five, four, three, two…"

"Agent Gibbs, you are too overwrought concerning my relationship with my daughter. However, despite your belief otherwise, I am worried about her and how she is doing. Please, tell me she is well."

Gibbs leaned back against the wall. "She came through the surgery without any major complications; the biggest problem was the gunshot wound to the chest which caused her lung to collapse. She was very lucky, and should be fine, eventually."

"Is she still in Intensive Care?" Eli was listening, but it also sounded like to Gibbs that he was doing other things at the same time, like reading reports or something.

Still, Gibbs was surprised he asked that. "Well, it has only been one day since she was shot. I would imagine she will be there for several days, but I really don't know."

"I saw her earlier this morning. She is awake and alert and breathing on her own, although they do have her on oxygen."

"And Agent DiNozzo; he has not left her side?"

"Only to speak to me. He is at the hospital now."

"Very well. I am pleased that she is doing so well. Is she allowed to receive phone calls in this ICU?"

Gibbs was stumped by that question. "I'm not really sure. I don't remember seeing a phone for her. There is a phone in the room but it is on wall, pretty far from her bed."

"So if I wished to call and speak to my daughter…"

"You would need to call Agent DiNozzo. Excuse me, Director. One of my Agents has just come up and needs to give me an update. When I see Ziva, I will tell her you called."

"Thank you Agent Gibbs. Shalom."

Gibbs just hung up the phone. "What do you have McGee?"

McGee looked excited. "Boss, I've spent the afternoon speaking to Agent Patrick's Boss and the Finance department."

Gibbs looked confused. "The Finance Department?"

"Apparently, Agent Patrick had a thing for one of the people in that department." He looked at his paper. "A Cynthia Collier."

"Unfortunately, she didn't have a thing for him. According to her friends in Finance, it was beginning to border of stalking, but then the bombing happened."

"She was killed up here. She had just brought a financial report to Vance and was heading down when the explosion occurred."

"I didn't know her, but I remember a woman who was standing right in front of the window when it blew."

"No one else in Finance was injured." Tim looked at Gibbs.

"So this is more likely about Vance having her come upstairs to give him the report than the bomb was in his car. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been up here, and she would still be alive."

"And he must be totally delusional- he was nothing to this woman. It was all on his side." McGee looked worried. Angry was bad enough, but angry and maybe crazy?

"Good work, McGee. Do we know if Vance asked for her by name, or if she just happened to be the lucky one to bring up the report?"

McGee frowned. "I don't know for sure about that. I can talk to Finance again."

"But from everything I'm hearing they were not in a relationship. She totally rebuffed him, and was trying to get away from him."

Gibbs looked grim. "Just another thing to blame Vance about; ruining any chances for another try with her. How did no one pick up on his behavior all these months?"

McGee looked worried. "A lot of people were in shock, Boss. Even if they never got together, it would have been strange for him not to have been affected in some way by her death."

"Ok, let me call Fornell. At least now we _really_ know why."

As he grabbed his phone, it rang. "Tobias, I was just getting ready to call you. We know what Agent Patrick's motivation was."

"Never mind that, Jethro. Jackie Vance managed to turn her cell phone on. We got a GPS fix on the location. Well, her phone's location anyway."

"Where? We can send a team…"

"Already on it, Jethro. This guy is going to be surrounded. Hopefully, this will turn out to be a legitimate lead. I have read Vance in, but he is consulting only, not participating."

Fornell tried to sound hopeful, but realistic at the same time. Gibbs understood.

"Ok, we'll wait, ready to move if you need us." Gibbs answered, not much else to be said.

Frankly, he was pissed his team was being excluded, but the reality of it all was that he and McGee constituted their particular "Team" at the moment. He accepted their limitations, and did as told. He looked at McGee.

"Mrs. Vance was somehow able to turn her cell phone on, so they are tracking her signal, hoping she will be there wherever it leads them to."

McGee nodded. "We've been told to sit on the sideline?"

Gibbs didn't say anything. "Talk to Finance again. At least we can find out if Vance asked for her by name."

"On it, Boss." McGee took off again.

Gibbs looked at his phone again and flipped it open. He needed to call Vance and update him on what had transpired. But first he needed to call Tony and warn him he may get a call from Eli David.

_**Thanks as always for the great reviews. Still not comfortable doing the procedural stuff so hopefully it is at least coming off as somewhat believable.**_


	22. Chapter 22

_**Frankly, he was pissed his team was being excluded, but the reality of it all was that he and McGee constituted their particular "Team" at the moment. He accepted their limitations, and did as told. He looked at McGee.**_

"_**Mrs. Vance was somehow able to turn her cell phone on, so they are tracking her signal, hoping she will be there wherever it leads them to."**_

_**McGee nodded. "We've been told to sit on the sideline?"**_

_**Gibbs didn't say anything. "Talk to Finance again. At least we can find out if Vance asked for her by name."**_

"_**On it, Boss." McGee took off again.**_

_**Gibbs looked at his phone again and flipped it open. He needed to call Vance and update him on what had transpired. But first he needed to call Tony and warn him he may get a call from Eli David.**_

Vignette Nine- "Hello, Goodbye"- Part Eight

**Maryland Shock Trauma**

Tony was dozing in the chair when his phone went off. He looked quickly over at Ziva.

She had just fallen back to sleep and didn't want to disturb her. He walked over to the window. "DiNozzo."

"Why are you whispering?" Gibbs asked.

"Ziva just fell back asleep and I don't want to wake her up." Tony answered, looking over his shoulder at her, still shaken by how pale she looked.

"Well, can you tear yourself away from her side for a few minutes so I can talk to you and actually be able to hear you?"

Tony hesitated. "Ok, give me a few minutes to get to the waiting room; there's a big window there so we should get good reception. Don't hang up."

"Oh, I'm staying on the line, DiNozzo." Gibbs assured him.

Tony stole a look back at Ziva, then left her room and the SICU. He walked quickly to the waiting area and to the big picture window.

"Ok, Boss. What's up?"

"Well, first of all, how is Ziva doing?" Gibbs asked softly.

"Actually, she's doing better, although I still think she looks too pale. They took that oxygen mask thingy off of her; now she has that nose prong thingy in."

Gibbs just smiled and shook his head. "Well, that's good news, I guess. Listen Tony, I also called to give you a heads up."

"Boss?" Tony frowned.

"I received a call from Eli David this morning, Tony."

Tony sat down in a chair, hard. "Boss, you didn't tell him…"

"I'm going to forget you asked me that, DiNozzo!"

Tony visibly relaxed. "So what did the Great Eli David have to say?"

Gibbs growled. "Nothing worth repeating, DiNozzo. He finally only asked about Ziva after I started a countdown and threatened to hang up if he didn't ask about her by the time I got to one."

"Wow, Boss. Wish I could have been there. You didn't happen to tape it did you? Never mind, Boss. Mental head slap."

Gibbs smiled at that. "I got to 'two' when he finally made a big show of my being overwrought over his daughter. So I gave him the update from when I saw her this morning."

He hesitated. "Tony, I told him if he wanted to speak to Ziva, which he asked about surprisingly; I said he would have to go through you."

"You…what?" Tony stared out the window in shock. "Why would you do that to me, Boss?"

"Tony, please. It wasn't a punishment. I'm not going to let him call Ziva repeatedly on her cell phone, which I am sure she doesn't have in her possession anyway."

"Frankly, I was hoping knowing he had to go through you would stop him from calling."

"But just in case he _does _decide to call you, do not let him get you all worked up and start arguing with him or worse start telling him what a son of a bitch he is."

"He will bait you, Tony. That's all he's done every time he has called me. I have the luxury as Interim Director to tell him to shove it. You do not."

"So keep your temper under control, be polite, give him the minimum info on Ziva and say nothing on this case."

"What if he demands to speak to Ziva?" Tony was not pleased to be in this position, but he guessed he deserved it, considering they were in a relationship, which he had no doubt Eli David was fully aware.

Gibbs sighed. "Well, if she's asleep, you tell him that and you are not waking her up; if she is awake, you ask her if she would like to talk to her father."

"You make sure your phone is right by her mouth so he can hear her answer; especially if she says no."

Tony groaned. "Got it, Boss. Thanks for the warning." He hung up. He wasn't interested in what was happening with the case, his only concern was Ziva.

Shoving his phone in his pocket, he headed back to her room. Tim had arranged to bring him some clothes from home to change into. The scrubs were comfortable, but he didn't like wearing them.

He was much more comfortable now. When he got back to the room, he could see that Ziva was still asleep. Smiling, he settled back into his chair and kept up his watch.

**NCIS**

Gibbs sighed. Now, for his second call…

Vance answered on the first ring. "The teams just left, so I know you're not calling to tell me they have Jackie already."

Gibbs shook his head. "No, Leon I'm not. I'm calling to tell you what we have on Agent Patrick."

"I'm listening."

"Cynthia Collier. Ring a bell?"

Vance frowned. "Cynthia Collier?" He thought for a moment. "Finance, killed in the bullpen by the window being blown out. Is that what this is about?"

"Leon, she went upstairs to give you a report, otherwise she never would have been in the bullpen; otherwise she never would have been killed."

Vance digested that. "So it's more than my car, it's that she came up my office, to a place she shouldn't have been."

"That's how we're seeing it. Leon, I know this happened a long time ago, but do you remember if you asked for her specifically?"

Vance bit back the first answer he came up with. "I don't know Gibbs, but I usually only ask by name when I need the Finance Director."

"I may have seen her around the Yard, but that was the first time I actually met Cynthia Collier."

"So I want to say that 'no,' I did not ask for her by name. Right now, I can't even tell you what report she brought up."

"What was her relationship to Agent Patrick?" Vance rubbed his eyes.

"Well, that's just it Leon. They didn't have one, at least as far as she was concerned. Apparently, she rebuffed his interest, but he kept up the pursuit."

"According to her fellow co-workers, she was this close to reporting him and pressing stalking charges." Gibbs filled him in on the final details that he knew.

"Why didn't she? We don't tolerate that kind of behavior at NCIS. Why didn't anyone report him?" Vance was livid.

"Well, Patrick's Boss said he knew he had a girlfriend in Finance named Cindy. So he never heard about anything out of the ordinary."

"I can only assume Cynthia didn't say anything to her co-workers until it got really bad, and then…"

"And then the explosion. She didn't get the chance to report him." Vance sounded defeated.

"It wouldn't have saved her life, Leon, and it still may not have made a difference in what has happened with your family; unless he was incarcerated." Gibbs responded.

"He still could've found a way to get to your family, even if he wasn't working for NCIS."

Vance was quiet. Taking a deep breath, he spoke softly. "Fornell told me that Agent David identified Jackie as her shooter and that there was no one else present."

"That's correct, Leon. I wish it was otherwise, but that's the truth. But first we need to get your wife back, alive. Don't think about the future just yet."

"How can you have any compassion for my wife when she almost killed one of your best Agents, Gibbs?" Vance truly wanted an answer.

"We always take care of our own, Leon; even when things can't look any worse and maybe can still _get_ worse."

"And what about Agents David and DiNozzo?"

"I can't speak for them, Leon."

"That's bull and you know it, Gibbs. Even if David makes a full recovery, they will never forgive Jackie, will they? Will they!"

Gibbs looked uncomfortable. "Please don't make me speak for them, Leon. Neither of you are on their 'Favorite Persons' list right now; but that could change, with time."

"Me too, huh? Well, I guess that makes sense, since I'm the reason for Agent Patrick's actions."

"Leon, as I said: let's focus on getting your wife back safely. Then you can work on the collateral damage."

"Oh, and Leon? None of this gets said to Eli David should he get it in his mind to call you again. I just spoke with him, but that doesn't mean he won't still try to get more information out of you. Got it?"

"Understood. Thanks for the update, Gibbs." Gibbs hung up.

**Fauquier County, Virginia**

Jackie Vance kept her eyes on Agent Patrick, as he sat on the floor bent over; scribbling like a mad man on those little sticky notes she gave him.

Very slowly, hiding her hand behind her purse, she tried to untie her left hand. The knot wasn't complicated or too tight, but it was still difficult to undo while trying to hide what she was doing.

She wasn't sure about the binding around her ankles. She thought he would notice her bending over to reach for her feet.

She looked at the gun lying on the floor, trying to gauge if she could actually stand and hop over to the gun and kick it out of the way before he reacted and reached for it himself.

Of'course, she did have the gun in her waistband. She could just take it out and shoot him, like she did with Agent David.

But she didn't know if she could do that. She would have to make sure she didn't kill him; he needed to pay for his crimes, but she was not willing to be his judge, jury and executioner.

He needed help; serious psychiatric help. If she tried to shoot him in the hand, considering it was in his lap as he was writing, she could hit him somewhere else vital.

She could try to hit him in the arm, but then he could suddenly move like Agent David did. She knew she was being stupid and should take her chance while she had it. But she was too afraid.

Taking a quick look at Agent Patrick again, she tried to check the chamber of the gun. It would be stupid to try to shoot him if there were no more bullets.

From what she could tell, the chamber was only missing the two rounds she fired. So she had the gun and the ammo.

"Hey, Hey! Look at this!" Agent Patrick got up, his hands jammed with all of his notes. He walked over the Mrs. Vance, and handed them to her.

She smiled and took them with her right hand and put them into her lap. One by one, she began reading what he had written.

It was grandiose and absurd. He even tried to make drawings of how their 'Center" would look, including furnishings.

Jackie made a big show of each note, telling him how remarkable and astonished she was at his vision.

"This is…Agent Patrick I am really impressed. And you just did this off the top of your head! I think you missed your true calling."

He smiled broadly, pumping his fist. While he was dancing about, Jackie caught movement outside through one of the windows. She didn't want Agent Patrick to see anything, so she called him back to her.

"Agent Patrick! Can you talk to me a little bit more about this one?" She held up a sticky note. She laid it on her lap so he had to stand in front of her looking down to read it.

"Oh, I worked hard on that one. It is the outline of the goals and objectives for the Foundation, including the By-laws."

On the note were some half-sentences and disconnected words. "Cindy" was written in several places.

As he was explaining the note, the two teams from FBI and NCIS quietly entered the building. Coming from behind, he was so focused on his handiwork; he didn't hear them until the last second.

He looked up in alarm and swung around. He reached for his gun, and then realized it was on the floor. By the time he realized he had put it on the ground, Jackie Vance had drawn her gun and put it in the middle of his back.

Agent Patrick raised his hands at the multitude of weapons that were aimed at him. He looked over his shoulder at Jackie, tears in his eyes. "Will you see that the Foundation is set up? You are the only friend I have."

Jackie Vance had tears running down her face. He didn't even realize she had a gun jammed into his back. "I'll do my best." She whispered.

Agent Patrick was shoved to his knees, his hands pulled behind his back and cuffed. As he was led away, he looked back at Mrs. Vance.

Fornell had already reached her and had taken the gun from her hand. "Bag it for evidence."

"Mrs. Vance, are you injured?" She looked numbly at the FBI agent. She shook her head, not trusting her voice. Other agents came up and unbound her ankles.

"Can you stand?" Fornell asked kindly. Jackie looked at him. "I'm not sure." He helped her to a standing position. Her knees almost buckled, but she was able to hold up.

Satisfied, Fornell held out his hands. "Mrs. Vance, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of a Federal Agent. You have the right to remain silent; Aanything you say or do may be used against you in a court of law…"

Jackie listened uncomprehendingly as she was cuffed and read her Miranda Rights; the only thing that filtered through was that the charge was "attempted" murder. That meant Agent David was still alive.

"Leon." That was all she managed to get out.

"Director Vance will be returned to NCIS, where you will now be taken and questioned. Please come with us, Mrs. Vance." Quietly, she walked with the FBI agents.

After she was escorted from the building, Fornell called the Safe House. "Fornell. Please inform Director Vance that his wife and Agent Patrick have been found and are both being escorted separately to NCIS for questioning."

"Please escort him to the Navy Yard. Tell him he may not see his wife until after we are through talking to her."

He then made his second call. "Gibbs. We got both of them; they're on their way to NCIS. FBI will handle the interrogation of both suspects. Yes, I have asked that Vance be notified and he be brought back to the Navy Yard."

"There is to be no interaction with Mrs. Vance by anyone from NCIS."

"Understood." Gibbs hung up. He called Tony.

"Yeah, Boss?"

"Tony, I just wanted to let you know that both Mrs. Vance and Agent Patrick have been found and they are on their way to NCIS. No, I do not want you there for the interrogation of either suspect."

"I suspect the only one you are interested in is what Mrs. Vance has to say. I will bring a recording to the hospital for you to watch; and Ziva if she is up to it. It depends on what she has to say."

Tony nodded. He didn't really want to go down there and face either Vance at the moment. "Agreed, Boss. Just let us know when you will be coming."

Gibbs hesitated. "Any calls from you know who?"

Tony actually chuckled. "Not yet. Keeping my fingers crossed."

**NCIS**

Vance was pissed he was not allowed to see his wife. "Be reasonable, Leon. She shot a Federal Agent."

"I know she's your wife, but right now we have enough evidence to charge her with a major crime." Gibbs was toe to toe with the Director.

"Let her have her say, without seeing you first, so there is no question that you coached her." Gibbs almost had to hold Director Vance from bolting down the hall.

"May I at least view the interrogation?" He asked, defeated.

"That's Fornell's call. His team is handling everything. All any of us _can_ do is observe."

Just then Fornell showed up. "Ok, here is the deal. I am sure you both want to view both interrogations."

"We will let Agent Patrick sit by himself for a while, and we'll talk to your wife first, Director."

"We will allow you and Agent Gibbs, and anyone else from you team, Jethro, to view the interrogation."

"Secretary of State Jarvis is not available to join us, but has asked to be kept apprised of the situation."

"You are not to interfere, interrupt, use the intercom, or make any attempt to enter the room or step out to see your wife when we are through." This was directed at Vance.

"When will I be able to see and talk to Jackie?" Vance asked, his pain apparent.

"That will depend on what she has to say for herself. I would prepare for the worse, and hope for the best. Ok, we are ready to begin."

Fornell turned to Gibbs. "Will DiNozzo be joining us?" Gibbs shook his head no. "But I _will _be taking a recording of the interrogation to the hospital for him to see; and Ziva if she wants to."

Fornell raised his eyebrows. "Oh, you will, will you?"

"Yes, Tobias. I will. They are owed an explanation." Fornell looked at his friend. "Ok, I'll see that you get a copy."

As they headed to interrogation, McGee and Abby came up, having received the notice that they had arrived.

The viewing room was crowded. Vance had to bite back a sob when he saw his wife, sitting in the suspect's chair.

At least they had the decency to remove the handcuffs they had placed earlier on her.

Agent Fornell took his seat on the opposite side of the table. "Mrs. Vance, you are here for questioning regarding the events that led up to the shooting of Agent David and you leaving with Agent Patrick."

"Agent David has identified you as her shooter and that you acted alone. Fortunately, Agent David survived her injuries, although she remains in the Intensive Care Unit."

"At this time, you are in custody for the attempted murder of a Federal Agent. There is no question that you pulled the trigger. The question is why."

"We are here to discuss what happened on that day, and what led to the shooting of Agent David."

"Depending upon your responses, your charges may or may not be reduced."

"Your husband will have no say regarding this discussion or its outcome. Do you understand what I have just told you?"

Jackie Vance had been glued to Fornell's face as he had been speaking to her. She said "yes."

"This interview will be recorded and may be used as evidence in a court of law. Now, Mrs. Vance; let's begin."

_**I can't believe the great reviews and support I have received for this story. I will be winding it up shortly, two or three more chapters. Thank you so much for giving me the confidence to write a procedural.**_


	23. Chapter 23

"_**We are here to discuss what happened on that day, and what led to the shooting of Agent David. Depending upon your responses, your charges may or may not be reduced."**_

"_**Your husband will have no say regarding this discussion or its outcome. Do you understand what I have just told you?"**_

_**Jackie Vance had been glued to Fornell's face as he had been speaking to her. She said "yes."**_

"_**This interview will be recorded and may be used as evidence in a court of law. Now, Mrs. Vance; let's begin."**_

Vignette Nine: "Hello, Goodbye" – Part Nine

Gibbs' team and Director Vance listened quietly as Jackie Vance described how Agent Patrick had come to her before everyone else arrived, what he said, how he acted.

"So he gained your trust, and you had no reason to suspect anything?" Fornell asked, taking notes.

"He seemed like a nice guy. He was one of Leon's Agents. Of'course I trusted him."

"Please, continue."

Jackie then described the other teams showing up and Agents David and DiNozzo taking the kids and their suitcases out to the car.

"Did Agent Patrick give any indication that he knew that David and DiNozzo would be in the lead car?"

Jackie considered the question. "He never mentioned anyone by name the first time he talked to me, so I don't know if he knew who the team positions were or not."

Fornell nodded. "Go on."

She then describe how Agent Patrick suddenly showed up at her side, pointing a gun at her, and told her that after she got into the car, she was to say she forgot her purse and go back into the house.

At this, Vance had to sit down. Gibbs found him a chair and put his hand on his shoulder.

Everyone in the room knew this part already. The tension in the viewing room was raised to a palpable level as she began to describe what was _not_ known to them.

"He put a gun in my purse and told me to leave it. I was supposed to get in the car, then say I forgot my purse and go back inside."

"He would be waiting outside for me, and I was to get in the car with him and leave."

She broke into a sob. Fornell pushed the box of Kleenex in her direction. She took one.

"Thank you. He told me that he hoped Agents David and DiNozzo remained outside with the children, but if one or both of them came back into the house, I was to shoot them."

Fornell broke in. "Those were his exact words: 'shoot them', not 'kill them.'?"

Jackie Vance looked terrified. "Yes, he definitely said 'shoot.' He told me if I didn't do this, he would find my children and torture and kill them, and that he would cut Leon's throat."

Leon had tears running down his cheeks. "Oh, my sweet baby. I am so sorry." He wiped at his eyes.

Gibbs murmured grimly. "That's a hell of a motivation."

Fornell continued his writing. "Ok, Mrs. Vance. I know this is hard, but we need to know exactly what happened next."

She took a deep breath. "I did as I was instructed, got out of the car and went back into the house. My purse was in my bedroom."

"As I was coming out, Agent David came back into the house and told me we needed to leave. She made me walk ahead of her."

"I didn't want to do it, but I had no choice! He knew where my children were." She started sobbing.

"Mrs. Vance, please just tell us what transpired."

She choked back a sob. "As I said, Agent David had me lead the way out. I reached into my purse, pulled out the gun, turned around and said I was sorry and…and I shot her."

"I meant to shoot her in the upper arm, just enough to stop her so I could get out to the back where Agent Patrick was waiting."

"But she was moving and turned or something and…I was so shocked the gun just went off again. I have no memory of pulling the trigger the second time, and I didn't mean to shoot her again."

Gibbs nodded. This was the scenario he had presented to Tony as the most plausible, that she had panicked and the second shot happened.

"I then ran out the back, and he threw me in the car and took off before I was even sitting." She was shaking so bad, so could hardly speak.

Fornell looked at her. "I think that's enough for now, Mrs. Vance. We can get your statement regarding your time with Agent Patrick later."

A female FBI Agent that had been present during the interrogation sat down, as Fornell left the room. He then went into the room on the other side of the window.

He ignored Vance and looked at Gibbs. "What do you think?"

"Well, there was no 'attempted murder', so those charges can be dropped. You could almost argue self-defense or threat against her family."

"That's the only reason she went along with any of this; she believed Agent Patrick would kill her family if she didn't leave with him and Ziva got in the way."

"We'll have a better idea of her frame of mind once we talk to Agent Patrick."

"Why didn't she say something to Agent David, why did she play along? She could have run for the hills after he threatened her and then went back outside to wait for her. Why did she have to shoot _anyone_?" Fornell challenged.

"Fornell, he didn't threaten _her_; he threatened her _children_ and her _husband_. I don't think she thought she had a choice." Gibbs reasoned.

"Let's not forget: Mrs. Vance is _not_ a trained NCIS agent, able to come up with multiple scenarios to get out of a terminal situation. If it had been Ziva or Tony he threatened or got to first, we wouldn't be standing here right now."

"I figured you would say something like that, Jethro. Director Vance."

Leon straightened his shoulders. "At this point it doesn't matter what testimony she gives regarding Agent Patrick as our interest in her is the shooting of Agent David."

"I am allowing you to see your wife. However, she can still be brought up on charges of Assault of a Federal Agent with a deadly weapon."

"I think some of her future may depend on how Agent David feels after hearing her testimony." Vance nodded grimly.

"You can go see her next door, and spend some time with her. Tell her the children are safe. Do you want to stay with your wife, or watch the interrogation of Agent Patrick?"

"It's one or the other I take it?" Leon asked, not happy.

"Oh, I can let this guy sit and stew for a while, all night for all I care. But I need to get the rest of your wife's statements while it is still fresh in her memory and before she totally breaks down."

"Can you give us an hour? Some food and drink would be appreciated since I am sure she hasn't eaten since yesterday."

"On it, Boss!" Tim and Abby left the room. Fornell looked at Gibbs, who cocked his head and gave him one of his "you know what I think" looks.

"Ok, let's take you to your wife; we'll get her some food. Calm her down, tell her you love her, whatever in the hell you want to do, Vance."

"However, you are not to discuss what was just said in this room. If she asks you how she did, tell her she was very brave or something but you are _not_ to give her any false hopes that this is all going to go away."

Vance nodded and quickly left the room with Fornell. Gibbs watched as Fornell opened the door and the look on Jackie's face when she saw Leon.

He turned away, unwilling to intrude on their private moment. Tobias looked at the female Agent. "Mika, you can leave them alone. We have guards posted in the hall."

The Agent nodded and left with Fornell. Jackie sobbed into her husband's shoulder. "Oh, Leon, I am so sorry! Are our children safe? How is Agent David? Will she be alright?"

"Shhh…I'm here, you're back. That's all we need to focus on right now. The kids are fine. They miss their mom and are worried, but I've been with them this whole time."

"What about Agent David, Leon? I _shot_ her!" She started crying again.

"I can't answer that, Babe. I've not been part of the investigation since it concerned our family. When I hear something, I'll let you know." Leon hoped that would satisfy Jackie for the time being.

Fornell didn't exactly forbid him from discussing Agent David's condition, but he wanted to make sure he didn't do anything to jeopardize his wife's case, even if that meant keeping information from her.

After about twenty minutes, McGee arrived with the food. He handed it to the Agent guarding the room to take it in. He didn't want to go in there and face Mrs. Vance.

After listening to her testimony, he believed that she didn't mean to hurt Ziva as badly as she did.

But that didn't change the fact that she _did_ hurt Ziva, and by extension, their _family_.

Gibbs had been waiting in the hall for Fornell after he left Leon with his wife.

"So tell me Jethro, what do you think Agent David will do once she hears this testimony?"

Gibbs shook his head. "I have no idea what she will think, or if she even thinks she should have any say in what the charges are, or if there should be any charges."

Fornell's eyebrows rose at that. "Do you think that there is a possibility that she won't press charges? Why?"

"I didn't say she wouldn't. But this _is_ the Director's wife we are talking about and we have all walked that fine line regarding some of our actions or inactions."

Fornell shrugged. "Well, at least no one died." He thought he caught a shadow cross Gibbs face. "I am correct, no one has died that I am aware of?"

"You're exactly right, Tobias. That you are aware of."

"I don't think I want to know." Fornell said.

"That's right, you don't." Gibbs walked off, letting his friend ponder the meaning behind those enigmatic words.

After Mrs. Vance finished eating, Fornell stuck his head in. "Director, we are about to begin talking to Agent Patrick. Do you want to watch or stay here?"

Vance looked at Jackie. "Go." She said. "He is deeply disturbed, Leon. I hope your team got all those sticky notes." She directed this at Fornell.

He looked confused. "Yes, we have them, but they are nonsense. You know what they mean?"

She nodded yes. "Ok, when we are done with Agent Patrick, I'll be back to get your take on it."

Vance and Fornell left the room and then Mika returned to her post inside the interrogation room with Mrs. Vance.

Agent Patrick was pacing, upset and worried. Gibbs, Tim and Abby had been watching him. He was muttering to himself and gesturing wildly, as well as he could.

They had changed it so his hands were cuffed in front of him instead of behind him.

"Boss, I saw Agent Patrick three days ago, and he was…well normal. I don't understand how he could have kept up this façade all these months, and no one caught on. I certainly didn't see it."

"Did you know him well, Tim?" Gibbs looked at the younger Agent."

"Well, no."

"Then don't worry about it. If the people he worked with every day saw nothing unusual about his behavior, then none of us could be expected to."

The door opened and Vance entered the room. He looked through the one-way window. "My God!"

Gibbs left the room and caught Fornell before he went in there. "Tobias, this kid is seriously delusional. If you don't want me in there, have another armed back up with you."

"He may be all talk at this point, but he is clearly out of touch with reality. I don't know if you are going to get much of anything coherent out of him."

"Well, then Jethro. Since you are so worried about my safety, I'll let you be my bodyguard."

Gibbs gave him a small smile and followed him into the room.

Agent Patrick stopped pacing. "Finally! Where's Mrs. Vance? We need to get back to work."

Fornell looked at Gibbs. "You need to get back to work? On what exactly?"

Agent Patrick beamed. "We are starting a Foundation in honor of Cindy. 'The Cynthia Collier Center for Victims of Acts of Terrorism.' It's all right there in my notes you took."

"I see." Tobias took the chair; Gibbs took a position against the wall.

"Son, we are not here to talk about some Foundation. You do know that you are in serious trouble?"

Agent Patrick looked confused. "But everyone is fine. And Mrs. Vance said she would be on the Board of Directors."

Fornell hit his hand on the table to get the Agent's attention. "Wrong! Everyone is not fine. Agent David has been shot, or did you forget that part?"

"Well, I do feel bad about that. Before I met Cindy, I kind of liked her. But she was dating someone. If she hadn't come back in, nothing would have happened to her."

"So it was her fault she got shot?" Gibbs said quietly.

Agent Patrick looked up as if he noticed Gibbs for the first time. "Well, yeah! She was supposed to be watching the kids. She left them."

It was all Gibbs could do to hold himself back from strangling this deranged Agent.

"Ok, but you did instruct Mrs. Vance to shoot Agent David or Agent DiNozzo if either came back in to get her."

"I'm sorry it was Agent David, she's hot. I much would have preferred that it had been DiNozzo."

"I see." Fornell said, looking sideways at Gibbs, whose glare should have struck the Agent down.

"So let me make sure I have all this: you threatened to kill Director Vance's children; Director Vance himself; ordered Mrs. Vance to shoot one, possibly two, NCIS agents; shot your own partner, and left him for dead; and then kidnapped Mrs. Vance. Have I left anything out?"

Agent Patrick rubbed his jaw. "No, I think that about covers it."

On the other side, Vance and McGee both said at the same time. "Unbelievable."

"And what is your defense for your actions, Agent Patrick?"

He looked at Fornell like he was nuts. "Have you not been listening? Hello? Cindy? She's dead because of him."

"Agent Patrick, Cynthia Collier is dead because a terrorist planted a bomb at NCIS. No one else is to blame." Gibbs responded.

"He made her come upstairs. If she hadn't been up there to see him, she wouldn't have been killed."

Gibbs unfortunately agreed with part of that statement. "It's true, Agent Patrick. If Ms. Collier had not been upstairs, there is a good possibility that she would not have been killed in the bombing."

"But the Director did not ask for her, he asked for a report. Anyone from that department could have taken it up to him. He had no control over that."

That stumped Agent Patrick for a few moments. "Well, maybe, but he shouldn't have asked for the report in the first place."

Fornell rolled his eyes. "Do you need to hear any more of this, Gibbs?"

"Nope, I'm good."

"Ok, then." They both stood up. Agent Patrick stood up too. "So I'm free to go? Mrs. Vance and I need to get to work."

Fornell put his hand on Patrick's shoulder and shoved him back in his seat.

"No, you are not free to go. You have the right to legal counsel, but I seriously doubt you're going to get much more than a court-appointed attorney the first year out of Law School."

"I want him in full chains. Take him to the holding cell here at the Navy Yard. We will need a Psychiatric evaluation before we can begin to consider the myriad of charges this Agent has waiting for him."

"In the meantime, book him on Kidnapping, Shooting a Federal Agent, and intent to commit First-degree murder, for starters."

"Wha…wait! Mrs. Vance! Please, Mrs. Vance, tell them. It's all ok. Please...Mrs. Vance?" Agent Patrick was led to the garage, where he would be transported the short distance to the Federal Prison that was located on the Navy Yard.

Everyone in the observation room just looked at each other, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

"Well, clearly Mrs. Vance was able to get him to believe she was on his side. She probably fed into his delusions and kept him occupied so he wouldn't hurt her."

"That was pretty smart of her to do that and brave. That could have easily backfired." Tim commented.

"Brave?" Abby snapped. "Only when it applied to saving her _own_ skin. Why couldn't she have been brave for _Ziva_?"

Tim silently took her hand. "I wasn't saying I approved of anything she did, Abby. You know how I feel about what she did to Ziva."

Abby hid her head in his shoulder. He rubbed her back, trying to give her little words of encouragement.

Just then Gibbs and Fornell walked in. When Gibbs saw Tim and Abby together like that, he almost had a heart attack. But as soon as Abby saw Gibbs, she ran into his arms.

"It's ok, Abbs. It's over for now. Why don't you go home and get some rest? Tim?"

"Boss?" He looked up.

"Take Abby home, please." Gibbs handed her back over to him.

"Sure thing, Boss. Come on, Abby. Let me get you home, ok?"

She sniffed and wiped her nose, like a little girl. Gibbs kissed her on the side of her head. "Get some sleep, both of you."

He watched them leave. Fornell broke the silence. "Are you ready for Round Two with Mrs. Vance? I really can't wait to hear her story."

Gibbs nodded and headed to the room where Mrs. Vance was being kept. She looked up when she saw both Fornell and Gibbs.

"Agent Gibbs, I am so sorry about Agent David! How is she?"

"Later." Fornell said. "Tell us what happened after he brought you to the warehouse."

"Well, I could see that he was disturbed; pacing and muttering. I told him I needed to go to the bathroom and he went off and mentioned Cindy."

"So I asked about her, and he told me it was Leon's fault that she died in the explosion. So I did the only thing I could do; I empathized with him and asked him to tell me about her."

"The next thing I know he is sitting on the floor in front of me, like we were in my living room visiting; extolling the virtues of this girl. I encouraged him to talk about her and how wonderful she sounded."

"I knew Leon would expect me to do something to try to get away, so I asked him if he had something to write with, that I wanted to write down her name so we could make a donation in her honor and memory and of'course in his honor as well."

"Of'course." Fornell replied impressed.

"I asked him for my purse, since I knew I had paper in there. For a minute he got suspicious, but I convinced him that I really just wanted to find my pad so I could write down her name."

"And he gave you your purse?" Fornell couldn't believe what he was hearing. Mrs. Vance nodded. "He handed me his pen, but then I showed him I couldn't write while my hands were tied so…"

"Don't tell me he actually untied your hands?" Gibbs asked incredulous.

"Only the one I write with. So once I had my purse, I rummaged for a while. That is how I was able to turn on my cell phone and turn the volume off."

"That single move may have saved your life, Mrs. Vance."

_**Your reviews have been amazing. Thank you so much. Some of your comments are very astute. I hope you will be happy with my solution to this story when it ends.**_


	24. Chapter 24

"_**I asked him for my purse, since I knew I had paper in there. For a minute he got suspicious, but I convinced him that I really just wanted to find my pad so I could write down her name."**_

"_**And he gave you your purse?" Fornell couldn't believe what he was hearing. Mrs. Vance nodded. "He handed me his pen, but then I showed him I couldn't write while my hands were tied so…"**_

"_**Don't tell me he actually untied your hands?" Gibbs asked incredulous.**_

"_**Only the one I write with. So once I had my purse, I rummaged for a while. That is how I was able to turn on my cell phone and turn the volume off."**_

"_**That single move may have saved your life, Mrs. Vance."**_

Vignette Nine- "Hello, Goodbye"- Part Ten

Jackie shuddered. "I also realized that the gun was still in my purse. I was able to slide it out and put it in my waistband."

"Hang on a second. You had a free hand and a gun. Why didn't you just shoot the bastard?" Fornell demanded.

Jackie Vance started to cry. "Way to go, Tobias."

"I didn't know if I had killed Agent David. Everything went through my head how it was supposed to go at the house."

"I didn't want to kill him; I want him to pay for what he did, but not at my hand."

"I was afraid he would move like Agent David did, or I wouldn't hurt him enough and he would kill me."

"OK, ok. So what is this Foundation thing he kept going on about?"

"Well, I actually suggested it, to keep his mind on something other than killing me."

"He said he had been thinking the same thing and then asked for my sticky notes and his pen back so he could start writing up everything he wanted for the foundation."

"If you've seen the notes, you can tell it is totally incoherent. I told him it was brilliant and he had missed his calling. He got all excited about that and was prancing around."

"That's when I saw movement outside and realized someone was there. I didn't want him to see you, so I called him back to me to explain a particular note he had written."

"I laid it in my lap facing toward him, so he would have his back to the door and wouldn't see you."

"So it can be said that you actually helped us apprehend Agent Patrick." Fornell grudgingly admitted.

"Agent Fornell, Agent Gibbs: he needs help. He lost his girlfriend and his mind. I'm not sure he can truly be held accountable for anything he has done. He's in grief."

"That's very generous of you, considering the threat he made against your family. But he didn't lose his girlfriend."

"Cynthia Collier would have nothing to do with Agent Patrick. They were not seeing each other; it was all in his mind."

Jackie looked horrified. "Oh, my God. He told me they were planning to get married and have children."

"Do you think he said all that to win me over?" She was upset to have been duped like that.

"No, Mrs. Vance, I think he really believed that. According to her co-workers she was just about to lodge a complaint about him and was considering stalking charges."

Mrs. Vance looked defeated. "I promised him I would do whatever I could to start this foundation."

Gibbs cleared his throat. "I see nothing wrong with a Foundation for Victims of Acts of Terrorism."

"It can even be set up solely for employees of the Navy and the Marine Corp or even the Navy Yard."

"But it should have absolutely nothing to do with Agent Patrick or Cynthia Collier. She wasn't the only victim."

Fornell cleared his throat. "Mrs. Vance, I have to ask this question because it has really been bugging me. Why didn't just shoot your sofa or something to alert Agent David that there was a problem? You could have pointed outside. She could have gone after Agent Patrick."

Mrs. Vance looked confused. "He was watching me. He would have seen what I did and taken off, to go get my children…" She broke down again.

Jackie slumped in her chair. "So what's going to happen to me now? How am I ever going to explain this to my children?" Fornell signaled for Director Vance to join them.

Fornell looked solemn. "Mrs. Vance, I wish I could tell you that everything will be fine, but that is not solely up to me. The Secretary of the Navy wants a full report."

"Agents David and DiNozzo will also be shown recordings of your interrogation. A lot may depend on the wishes of Agent David."

He picked up his paperwork. "You are however, being released under the supervision of the Director of NCIS. You may go home, unless that is too painful for you right now to face."

"If you would prefer to stay in a hotel, we will arrange for your children to join you. You are both to report back here tomorrow at 0800."

Director Vance stuck out his hand to Fornell. "Agent Fornell, thank you and your teams for finding my wife and bringing her safely home."

Fornell took Vance's hand and left with Gibbs. "When do you need that recording, Jethro?"

"Now." He said.

"Why would I think otherwise? Ok, I'll see what I can do."

Gibbs sat at his desk, thinking about what he had just witnessed. He looked at the empty desks, but mostly at Ziva's and Tony's.

Fornell walked up and handed Gibbs a disk. "This has all three interrogations on it. Do what you want with it, you can't edit it or change it in any way."

"Gee, Tobias. Thanks for the trust." Gibbs said sarcastically.

"You know what I meant. Do they have something they can play this on at the hospital?"

That stopped Gibbs for a moment. "I don't know. I'll call and find out." He picked up his phone. "Thanks Tobias." He added.

Fornell just waved his hand and left.

Tony picked up after the fourth ring. "What took you so long?" Gibbs growled. "I was supervising while they got Ziva up into a chair."

"Wow, she's up in a chair. That's good, right? They wouldn't make her do something like that too soon would they?"

"I haven't understood a single thing they've done since we got here, so I'm not the best source for that kind of stuff." Tony admitted, frustrated.

Tony moved toward the window. "I take it the interrogations are done?"

"Yes, and it was enlightening. Tony, do you have a laptop with you?"

Tony frowned. "No, why?"

"Well, I need something to put this disk in so you can see the interrogation." Gibbs explained.

Tony's eyes widened. "No kidding, they actually gave you a copy? Hang on."

Tony looked at the nurses. "Would it be possible for us to get a DVD player and TV for a while? We need to watch something our Boss is bringing in."

Ziva glanced over at Tony and gave him a worried look, knowing what he was talking about. The nurses looked at each other.

"We have some of those around. Usually they are on the kid's unit, so they can watch movies. We should be able to get one for you. When do you need it?"

"Uh, I think he's getting ready to head over here now. He's coming from DC." One of the nurses nodded. "I know where I can get one. I'll be right back."

"Thanks. Boss, you still there?" Tony hoped he hadn't accidently hung up on Gibbs.

"Still here, DiNozzo." Gibbs said drily.

"Ok, one of the nurse's is going to get us a TV with a DVD set-up, so come on over when you're ready. Ok, see you soon."

Tony hung up his phone, and watched as the other nurses fussed over Ziva to make sure she was comfortable. "How long will she be allowed to sit up?" He asked.

"Well, since this is the first time, we won't make it for too long. Maybe thirty minutes?" The cute little blonde with freckles replied.

"OK, I think she should be in bed when we watch this DVD." Tony went and sat by Ziva. "That is if you want to watch it."

Ziva looked at Tony. "Yes, I need to know _why_." He took her hand and held it tightly. "Well, Gibbs will be leaving shortly. We'll find out soon enough." He reached up and pushed back a strand of hair.

"How do you feel, sitting up?" He asked, trying not to convey the concern he really felt.

"Like moist spaghetti." She replied. Tony looked confused at that, and then thought he knew what she meant. "You mean like a wet noodle? Like you're all wobbly and have no bones?"

"Yes, that is it, a wet noodle." She sighed. "It is uncomfortable, with this tube in my sidelmj. It pulls…I am afraid I will accidently pull it out."

Tony looked at one of the nurses in alarm. "Is that possible? Could she accidently pull out her chest tube?"

She smiled and shook her head "no." "It's sutured in; it's not going anywhere until the doc decides to remove it."

"Oh, well that's good." Tony sighed. They kept Ziva up for about twenty minutes, but she got tired, so they put her back into bed.

They were just finishing up making her comfortable and checking on all of her lines and the tubing's, when Gibbs showed up.

The TV/DVD player set-up was already in the room, on a big cart. The nurse helpfully turned it on to make sure the settings had not been messed with.

All they had to do was insert the disk and press "play."

Once the nurses left the room, Gibbs went up to Ziva and kissed her. "How are you feeling?"

Ziva smiled wanly. "I was up in the chair for a while. I cannot believe how weak I am." She looked at Gibbs. "So Mrs. Vance has been found?"

"And Agent Patrick." Gibbs added.

Ziva looked confused. "Agent Eric Patrick?" She looked at Tony. "He was behind all of this?" Gibbs and Tony both nodded.

"Are you ready to see this Ziva? You will be reliving what happened to you. I think it's important that you know why all of this transpired, but you _could_ read it in a transcript."

Ziva shook her head. "No, I want to hear her voice, see her face." Gibbs looked at Tony, who nodded.

Gibbs put the disk in and handed the remote to Tony. "I don't need to be in here if you would prefer to view this privately."

Ziva and Tony looked at each other. "Maybe for the first time? Then we can talk to you about any questions we have and go over any parts we need clarified." Gibbs nodded and left the room.

Tony looked at the remote in his hand. He took Ziva's hand in his other. "Are you ready?" Ziva took in a deep breath and nodded yes.

Tony hit the "play" button and the recording began. There were a few seconds of silence, and then the interrogation room came on the screen, with Fornell explaining what they were doing.

Jackie Vance looked exhausted and disheveled, but appeared to be unharmed. They listened in silence as she described what had transpired with Agent Patrick.

Like the group in the viewing room, they both tensed as the time of the shooting was coming up, waiting to finally hear what they hadn't known at the time.

They both listened to Jackie explain the threat to her family, how she was to shoot one or both of them and leave with the Agent. Tony "paused" it there.

"Well, at least we know it didn't have to do with either of us personally, although I never really considered that as a possibility." He hit the "play" button again.

Now she was explaining how she went back into her house to get the purse, and Ziva following her back in. They both knew what was coming next and gripped each other's hands tightly.

Mrs. Vance described exactly what happened: that she was walking ahead of Ziva, that she turned around and pointed a gun and her, said she was sorry and shot her.

They listened quietly as she explained that she tried to shoot Ziva in the arm and when that didn't happen, the second shot was unintentional and she had no memory of firing the gun, that she had panicked.

She ended by saying she ran out the back as instructed by Agent Patrick where he was waiting for her. That was where her testimony ended.

Tony put the disk on "pause" again. They both just sat there for a few minutes, absorbing what they had just seen and heard. Tony finally found his voice.

"You know, when Gibbs told me about the Agent Patrick angle and that this was probably a personal thing about the Vance's; he tried to sell me on the scenario that Mrs. Vance hadn't meant to shoot you the first time as badly as she did and probably panicked and that's how the second shot came off."

"I told him I didn't believe him and that I believe she meant to kill you and second shot was to finish the job."

Ziva had tears running down her face. "I don't know what to think. I can't imagine what she was thinking, how she was feeling, except maybe powerless to do anything except what Agent Patrick told her to do.

"I don't think she felt she had an alternative; that she had to shoot one of us if we came back."

Tony kissed her forehead. "I want to get Gibbs' take on this before we look at any more, ok?" Ziva nodded. Tony went to the door and looked out. He caught Gibbs' eye and waved him over.

Gibbs walked in and could see immediately the effect the recording had on Ziva. He went over to her and hugged her as well as he could without messing up any of her lines.

He took a seat when Tony sat back down. "We just saw Mrs. Vance's testimony. I want to know what your take on it is." Tony asked.

"It doesn't matter what I think. This happened to you, Ziva. Based on what you've seen, you may be asked to indicate what charges you want held against her."

Ziva looked up at that. "Really? I did not know that, or considered that."

"Mrs. Vance was brought in, charged with the attempted murder of a Federal Agent. I think you both can agree, based on her testimony that she never intended to kill you."

"She can still be charged with Assault on a Federal Officer with a deadly weapon. She did win Agent Patrick's trust and was able to turn on her cell phone, which helped us to locate them.

"She also distracted him so the teams could get into position and capture him. Fornell has considered that she assisted in the capture of Agent Patrick, which would help to reduce any sentence if she were to be charged, tried and found guilty."

Tony cleared his throat. "Are you saying Ziva should not press charges?"

Gibbs shook his head. "I'm only saying that you need to look at everything before a decision is made."

Tony nodded. "OK, let's watch the rest of the recording. You can stay, Boss, if you would like." Gibbs smiled slightly at that.

The next interrogation was of Agent Patrick. Tony and Ziva were shocked at his demeanor and words. Tony got particularly pissed when he confided he wished it had been DiNozzo who had been shot.

"Do I even know this guy? Boss, this guy's a nut case!"

"Ya' think, DiNozzo?"

When they heard Fornell read out all of the charges against him, and then Agent Patrick agreed that "that was about it," they both gasped.

And then the implication that it was Ziva's fault she got shot because she should have stayed outside with the kids made Tony get up and pace.

"Calm down, DiNozzo. This guy isn't going anywhere." Tony took a deep breath and sat back down.

Next, they viewed the final interview with Mrs. Vance, explaining how she realized he was disturbed, gained his trust, kept him engaged, the Foundation, all of the writing, the purse, the gun and in the end, keeping him occupied while the teams entered the room to take him down.

"I have to say I'm with Fornell on this one. She should have shot the SOB when she had the chance." Tony griped.

"Well, she didn't need to, although she did press her gun into his back." Gibbs got up, and removed the disk from the player and put in back in its sleeve.

"So what's next?" Ziva asked.

Gibbs shrugged. "The SecNav wants to see this as well. Hell, he may throw her to the sharks. If you want any say regarding her welfare, you will need to come up with it before 0800 tomorrow."

"What happens then, Boss?"

"Director Vance and Mrs. Vance have been instructed to report to NCIS at 0800. I am assuming Fornell and the FBI will then begin with the formal charging."

Ziva cleared her throat, the pain much lessened. "I remember several years ago when I was still the Mossad Liaison that I punch a witnessed in the throat because he would not cooperate and he died."

Gibbs and Tony both nodded, remembering the case. "I knew that I did not intend to kill him, but since I was a trained assassin, it was difficult for me to prove to others that my intentions had been otherwise."

"Even if everyone believed I did not intend to kill, him; I remember the doubt you had that I was still responsible for his death, intentional or not." She directed this at Gibbs.

"Ducky finding a genetic anomaly was fortunate, but I still could have been charged with Involuntary Manslaughter, or kicked out of the country on Diplomatic Immunity."

"Instead, Director Sheppard stated it was a clear case of self-defense. I know I was extremely lucky that day, that my life at NCIS was a heartbeat away from being taken away. She did not have to do that, but she did. She took care of her people."

"Mrs. Vance is not a trained NCIS agent or Mossad assassin. She is not trained to deal with these high-pressure situations that can quickly get out on control."

"I am upset that I was shot and I do not know if I will ever forgive for the loss of our child; but I do not wish her to be taken away from _her_ _children_; from the _man_ she loves; from her _life_; because she was placed in a situation for which she had no idea of how to handle."

Tony rubbed Ziva's forehead, frowning. "What are you saying, Ziva?"

She looked at Tony. "I know you are so angry, Tony. I am not even sure how I will feel working with Director Vance again. But I believe Mrs. Vance has been punished enough."

She looked at Gibbs. "I do not wish to press any charges, Gibbs."

_**Some of you guessed this was coming, but it may not all be up to Ziva…thanks for the great reviews and comments.**_


	25. Chapter 25

"_**I am upset that I was shot and I do not know if I will ever forgive for the loss of our child; but I do not wish her to be taken away from her children; from the man she loves; from her life; because she was placed in a situation for which she had no idea of how to handle."**_

_**Tony rubbed Ziva's forehead, frowning. "What are you saying, Ziva?"**_

_**She looked at Tony. "I know you are so angry, Tony. I am not even sure how I will feel working with Director Vance again. But I believe Mrs. Vance has been punished enough."**_

_**She looked at Gibbs. "I do not wish to press any charges, Gibbs."**_

Vignette Nine- "Hello, Goodbye"- Part Eleven

Tony opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind. It was Ziva's call, not his.

And of'course the SecNav could render her decision pointless if he decided she should be held accountable to the full extent of the law.

Gibbs kept his expression neutral. He had an idea Ziva might come to this decision, because of the very incident she reminded them of.

But he knew Tony probably did not agree with this decision and could be strongly opposed to it. He hoped it would not cause a rift between the two.

"You may be called and read into the meeting with the SecNav, Fornell and myself, so you can voice your sentiments. You may also be asked to put it in writing. Depends on Jarvis I suspect."

"You can tell them my decision, Gibbs. If they wish to hear me say it, or have me put it in writing; it will not change." Ziva looked at Gibbs sadly, tears in her eyes.

Gibbs stood up. "I'll leave you now. I have to get this disk back to NCIS. Try to get some sleep tonight, both of you. DiNozzo?" Gibbs indicated Tony was to come with him.

Tony frowned as he followed Gibbs out in the hall. "Tony, I know you want to stay with Ziva. We haven't really been allowed to do much of anything while this case was ongoing."

"I'm not going to order you back to work, at least while Ziva is still in Intensive Care. But keep in mind that if things get bad at work, I may need to call you in."

"Got it, Boss."

"Oh, and Tony?"

"Boss?"

"I know you don't agree with Ziva that Mrs. Vance should not be charged. Don't let that come between you."

Tony looked silently at Gibbs, realizing that Gibbs appeared to accept them as a couple since he just told him to not screw it up.

"Ziva has my complete support, Boss." Gibbs looked into Tony's eyes and nodded.

Gibbs slapped Tony's arm. "Ok, DiNozzo, see that she does."

Tony watched Gibbs leave, worried that he thought he wouldn't be on Ziva's side. But Gibbs was partially right.

The law enforcement side of him said Mrs. Vance should be charged. Of'course he was angry Ziva had been shot, but that had been a variable. It could have been him or any other Agent if they had been assigned as the lead escort.

Would he be as insistent about Mrs. Vance being charged if it had been someone else? Tony hoped so, but he knew he was extremely biased in this case, and because of that, should have no say in its outcome.

He thought about the little life that never had a chance. If that hadn't been part of the equation, would he be as emotional about this?

Inside, he knew that family didn't always have to _agree_ with each other, but they had to stick together.

He didn't consider Director Vance a part of "their family;" but he was the "Big Man Upstairs" and by extension the Patriarch.

He knew Vance didn't have any control over what happened in their house that day. But he wondered seriously if he could keep his anger out of the office, especially if he had to deal with Vance.

If Vance was smart, he would keep his head down and keep his contact with Gibbs only, which in reality is what he usually did for the most part.

Tony considered the other Agents under Vance. Certainly someone must have let it out that Mrs. Vance shot Ziva. He would then have no validity as their Director.

Tony shook his head. None of this was his problem. Being with and supporting Ziva was his role right now, until Gibbs called him back into work.

He walked back into Ziva's room, seeing her eyes were glued to the door. She smiled, but looked worried. "That was more than a minute."

Tony pulled up "his" chair. "He wanted to remind me what my responsibility was. By the way, he didn't actually say it, but I think Gibbs' is giving us a ride regarding our relationship."

"A ride?" Ziva looked confused.

"He is either accepting it or ignoring it. Which means we are good."

That was totally unexpected, and Ziva didn't realize how much she had been worried about that. She leaned back into her pillow and started to hyperventilate a little bit.

"Whoa, Ziva! Calm down, this is good news, right?" Tony massaged her temples, knowing that always calmed her down. He was right; she started to slow down her breathing and was soon calm.

"I just…I did not expect you to say that." Ziva's eyes were huge.

Tony continued to stroke her temple. "He also reminded me that although they were good at the moment, I might be called back to work, so to expect it."

"And not fight it, I would guess?" Ziva smiled softly at Tony. She grabbed his hand.

"Tony, I know you do not agree with my decision, but I think it is the right thing to do. I do not want this to…come between us."

Tony felt tears come to his eyes. He bent and kissed Ziva on the lips, then touched his forehead with hers. "Part of me doesn't, but I respect your feelings on this, Ziva."

He sat back down, holding her hand and sighed. "But this is seriously going to affect my working relationship with Vance, at least for a while."

Tony thought for a while. "I guess I'm just going to have to steer clear of him." He brought Ziva's hand to his lips and kissed it.

Just then his phone rang. He did not recognize the number, but knew it was overseas. He showed his phone to Ziva, whose eyebrows shot up.

"That is my father's number."

"_Shit!"_ Tony thought. "Perfect timing." Tony said to Ziva. "If he asks, do you want to speak to him?" Ziva shrugged.

"Great, thanks!" Tony replied. "Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo." He answered his phone.

"Ah, Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. I was not sure you would take my call." Eli David noted.

"I don't know your phone number, Director David." Tony answered, not saying if that meant he would have answered it or not. He remembered what Gibbs had warned him about, so he tried to keep cool-headed.

"I see. How is my Ziva, is she improving?" Tony winced at the words _"my Ziva"_, thinking she was his nothing, but bit back the remark.

"Yes, sir; she is. She is still in Intensive Care, but she is breathing on her own, with oxygen. She has been up in the chair today, but that was the first time and it really tired her out."

"The doctors seem pleased with her progress." Tony finished.

"Has she identified her shooter?" Tony's eyes bugged out at that. He knew by that question that Eli David had no idea who shot Ziva, and Tony certainly was not going to be the one to tell him that the wife of his "friend Leon" was the culprit.

"Ah, no." He looked at Ziva with alarm on his face. He mimicked pointing a gun at her. He thought she understood what he was trying to say.

"She remembers us being on the detail, but that is all. They call it retrograde amnesia." Tony held his breath, hoping against hope that Eli David would accept his explanation.

"I see." Eli responded. "Would it be possible for me to speak with my daughter? I would like to hear her voice."

"I'll ask her sir, if she is not too tired." He held his phone close to Ziva.

"Ziva, your father would like to speak to you. How are you feeling, do you feel up to it?" Ziva looked at Tony. He was giving her no sign, meaning he was leaving it up to her.

"I think I can speak for a very short while." She answered.

"Ok, I'll put you on. Director David, Ziva says she can speak for a little bit, I'm handing her my phone now." Tony spoke as if he didn't know Eli heard their conversation.

As Tony handed her the phone, he mouthed to her: "English only." Ziva nodded. She knew he didn't like it when she spoke in Hebrew in front of him. He felt he was purposely being left out.

It wasn't that big of a deal when they weren't seeing each other, but things were different now.

"Shalom, Abba." Ziva said softly.

"Ziva, you sound so weak. Is Agent DiNozzo lying to me about your condition?"

"No, I am much better. Everything Tony said was true. I only got out of bed today."

"Is it true that you do not remember the person who shot you?" He asked his question in Hebrew, expecting Ziva to respond in kind, knowing Agent DiNozzo would not know what she was saying.

But Ziva denied him his subterfuge. "Yes, Abba, it is true." She hoped he believed her and did not hear in her voice that she was lying to him.

"Very well. Do they have a suspect?" Ziva tried to chuckle.

"I am not part of the investigation, remember? You will have to get that information from Gibbs, or Agent Fornell, since I believe the FBI is handling this."

"Well, then, do you know…"

"Abba! I am in the hospital. Tony has been at my side since I have been brought here. Neither of us knows what is going on."

"I am tired. I cannot talk anymore. Shalom, Abba." She handed the phone back to Tony.

"Director David?" Tony said hesitantly.

He was surprised to hear a sigh on the other end. "I should not have pushed her; she is still too soon from her injury. Do you not know _anything_ about this case?"

"I have been here with Ziva, since she was shot. The FBI apparently doesn't need my help." Tony replied, his frustration evident in his tone.

Eli David actually chuckled at that. "My daughter refused to speak in Hebrew to me. Is that because of you?"

"I would imagine she thought it would be rude to speak in another language in front of me that I couldn't understand. We don't keep secrets from each other. Sir."

Again, Eli David chuckled. "I hope that is the truth. I do not want my daughter to have her heart broken."

Tony bit back an angry response, and then remembered Gibbs' words. _"He will bait you, Tony."_

Instead, Tony decided to bait him. "I would never do that, Director. I love Ziva, and she loves me. We plan to be together for a long time."

Eli David had once again underestimated Agent Anthony DiNozzo. He was surprised that he would say this to him, admit that he loved the daughter of the Director of Mossad and make the claim that she loved him.

He wished now that he had asked her about their relationship while he had her on the phone. "Is it your intention, then to marry my daughter, Agent DiNozzo?"

Tony wanted to snap back "yes", but the truth was they hadn't discussed it yet. "We haven't talked about that yet. But I am not ruling it out."

"I see. Well, I expect to be informed if such a decision is reached."

"Of'course, Director." Tony acknowledged the request.

"Thank you for letting me hear my daughter's voice. Shalom, Agent DiNozzo." He hung up before Tony could respond.

He looked at Ziva. "Are you ok? You really don't look good." Tony was concerned and stroked her cheek.

She tried to smile. "It is always tiring after speaking to my father." She winced a little bit. Tony kissed her. "I'll let the nurse know you need something for pain."

When Ziva didn't argue with him, he knew she was really hurting. He pressed the nurse's call button, and asked if Ziva could have something for pain when the disembodied voice responded.

Ten minutes later, a nurse showed up and gave Ziva some medication into her IV. "The surgeon will be by later to see how you are doing."

Ziva was nodding sleepily, the medication already taking its effect. Tony thanked the nurse. He waited until Ziva was asleep, and then got up to take a walk and stretch his legs, and to clear his head.

Now that the case wrapping up, Tim and Abby were free to visit Ziva. Tim hadn't seen her since she'd been shot; and Abby before that; although she had been monitoring the transmissions and heard Mrs. Vance shoot her.

They arrived at the hospital after work. Since only two visitors were allowed to visit at the same time in the ICU, Tony stepped out so they could have their time with Ziva.

Abby had to hold back her gasp when she saw Ziva. She knew how serious her injuries were, but she also knew what a fighter Ziva was.

The Ziva she saw was small; swallowed up by the apparatus that was attached to her. Her face was very pale, with dark smudges under her eyes.

She looked like a puff of air could blow her over. Abby couldn't put her finger on it, but there seemed to be more going on than just the physical injuries.

Maybe it was just the shock that it was Mrs. Vance and one of their own Agents that did this to her.

Tim also thought Ziva looked a lot weaker than he expected, but having never been shot, he had no idea what that was like.

They both smiled brightly and held her hands, Abby reaching down to try to hug her and kissed her cheek. "I was so worried about you." She whispered.

"We will be fine." Ziva said patting Abby's back. She leaned back into her pillow. "It will take a while, but I will get better and be back to work before you know it." She smiled.

"You better." Tim chimed in. "Tony's a pain is the ass when you're not there!" Ziva chuckled, but stopped when it caused pulling on her chest tube.

"Sorry, guess I shouldn't make you try to laugh." Tim looked apologetic.

Ziva squeezed his hand. "It is fine, McGee. It is this chest tube. It pulls when I move certain ways. It is not exactly painful, but it is an odd sensation."

Tim nodded, having no idea how to equate any feeling to that.

"I was up in the chair today for a short period. I could not believe how tiring it was. I do not like feeling this way." Ziva looked frustrated.

"Take it a day at a time, Ziva. You'll be home before you know it." Abby looked at Tim. "They only gave us ten minutes so I guess we better get going before Tony comes and yanks us out of the room."

Tim and Ziva both smiled at that. They both started to leave, but then Abby turned. "Tim, you go on ahead, I'll be right there." Tim looked surprised but nodded.

Ziva also looked surprised and watched Abby pull up a chair and take Ziva's hand. She looked down, and then looked into Ziva's face.

"Ziva, I know you. I know this is absolutely horrible and I am so sorry you had to go through this." Ziva nodded, not sure what Abby was trying to say.

Abby cleared her throat. "Ziva, is there something else going on? I mean this is bad enough, but I just get this feeling that…" She stopped when she saw the tears flows down Ziva's cheeks.

"Oh, my. Ziva, if this is none of my business, you just say so. I just wanted you to know that I was concerned, and that I am praying for you."

Ziva squeezed her hand. "Thank you, Abby. And you are right…there is something else. Please promise me you will not say anything, especially to Tony."

"Of'course I promise. Ziva, you're scaring me." Abby brought her friend's hand up to her cheek.

"After the surgery was over, Tony and I found out that I was pregnant. We did not know before."

Abby's eyes filled, afraid to respond when Ziva said _was_.

Ziva nodded her head. "Because of the shooting, I suffered a miscarriage. Tony and I found out we were going to have a baby and then when weren't in one sentence."

"I think if I had to lose a baby, I would want it to be like this, before I knew about it; before I learned to love it. But it is still painful, not knowing…"

"Oh, Ziva." Abby hugged her friend, crying for their loss. Ziva had already spent herself, but still found the tears coming. "It was such a shock, I can forgive for myself, but I am not sure I can for our child."

Abby looked at her, sadly, stroking her hair. "How is Tony taking it?"

Ziva shook his head. "He was the one who had to tell me. He is holding up, but devastated. He will not forgive Mrs. Vance or the Director." Ziva hesitated.

"Gibbs was with Tony when he was told, so Gibbs knows as well."

Abby's eyes got huge. "Gibbs knows? Oh…" Ziva squeezed her hand and smiled sadly.

"He did not kill Tony, though he did yell at him for a bit. He is better now. He is more concerned about how we are doing than what we did."

Abby didn't realize she was holding her breath. She let it out in a big sigh. "Well, I am here for you. And for Tony. Are you sure you don't want him to know you told me?"

"He needs comfort too." Ziva looked concerned. "I will ask him."

Abby nodded, gave Ziva another kiss and left the room. She found Tim and Tony talking in the hallway. As soon as Tony looked up and saw Abby's face, he knew.

"She told you, didn't she?" Abby chewed on her lip a little bit, and then threw her arms around him. "I am so sorry, Tony."

Tony could feel her tears on his neck, and he couldn't help it. He broke down and started to cry as well. Tim was confused and alarmed and didn't know what to do.

"I had to tell her…" Tony mumbled.

"I know, Tony. I'm here for you. For both of you."

Tim cleared his throat. "Well, I'd like to be here for both of you, too." Tony and Abby looked up at him. They had momentarily forgotten he was there.

"Sorry, Tim." Tony turned to Abby. "Abbs?"

"I'll tell him." She could tell he couldn't go through it again. "You call us if you need anything. We can manage fine without you, for a while." She smiled sadly.

"Just don't get used to being away." She added. Tony smiled glumly. "I don't think that should be a problem. Gibbs has already put me on alert that I could be called back anytime."

"Ok, well, get back to Ziva. We'll see you later." Abby took Tim's arm and led him away, their heads together.

_**Thanks you the reviews; Things aren't over yet for Mrs. Vance. Everyone have a great holiday!**_


	26. Chapter 26

_**Tim cleared his throat. "Well, I'd like to be here for both of you, too." Tony and Abby looked up at him. They had momentarily forgotten he was there.**_

"_**Sorry, Tim." Tony turned to Abby. "Abbs?" **_

"_**I'll tell him." She could tell he couldn't go through it again. "You call us if you need anything. We can manage fine without you, for a while." She smiled sadly.**_

"_**Just don't get used to being away." She added. Tony smiled glumly. "I don't think that should be a problem. Gibbs has already put me on alert that I could be called back anytime."**_

"_**Ok, well, get back to Ziva. We'll see you later." Abby took Tim's arm and led him away, their heads together.**_

Vignette Nine: "Hello, Goodbye"- Part Twelve

**NCIS- 0700**

The Secretary of the Navy Clayton Jarvis watched all of the interrogation tapes in sequence, taking notes as he watched.

Fornell and Gibbs sat quietly, watching again to see if they picked up a different angle from their original interview and for Gibbs, also from his first re-viewing of the tape.

Once he was done, Jarvis tapped his pen on his paper. Finally, he spoke. "Gentlemen, I can't stress enough how serious this is. I think we all agree that Agent Patrick must undergo psychiatric evaluation, but I agree with the charges Agent Fornell cited to the Agent."

"Now, Mrs. Vance. This is a bit of a quandary. She did shoot one of our agents. The fact that Agent David was not killed is certainly in her favor but does not lessen the severity of charges that she can be held accountable for."

He turned to Gibbs. "I understand that Agent David was given the opportunity to view these recordings. What was her reaction?"

Gibbs looked serious. "Agent David has stated to me that she believes that Mrs. Vance was forced to act against her will, and would never have voluntarily committed this crime. She does not wish to press charges."

Jarvis looked surprised at that. "That's incredibly generous, considering the nature of her injuries."

"You have no idea, Sir." Gibbs stated.

Jarvis and Fornell sat up straight at that. "Explain, Agent Gibbs."

"Yeah, Jethro. You implied that there was something else going on. You brought it up. Now explain."

Gibbs rubbed his jaw. "Agent David was pregnant."

"Shit!" Jarvis and Fornell both voiced the sentiment. "That puts a whole new spin on this and I do not want to get into a "what is considered life" debate here." Jarvis was angry.

"She lost the baby?" Jarvis wanted the clarification.

Gibbs looked down and nodded quietly.

"Does she know?" Jarvis couldn't believe she would not press charges if she knew. Gibbs looked at the SecNav. "Yes Sir. Agent DiNozzo and I found out from the surgeon; Agent DiNozzo told Agent David. She didn't know she was pregnant at the time."

"DiNozzo, huh?" Fornell mused. "Does that mean…" Gibbs just cut him off with a glare.

"Did the doctor give any indication how far along she was?" Jarvis was pressing for details. Gibbs shook his head. "He seemed to think it was very recent, that Ziva may not have even known she was pregnant, which in fact, Sir, she didn't."

Fornell spoke up. "Mr. Secretary, in previous cases regarding assault on pregnant women when the baby dies, murder charges were based upon whether or not the baby would have survived outside of the womb at the time of the death."

"I think based on what we just heard; this is not the case in this situation. I would not pursue second degree murder or manslaughter charges regarding this pregnancy."

Jarvis nodded. "So we are back to where we started; Mrs. Vance willingly shot a Federal Agent, although under coercion and the belief that her family would be murdered if she failed to do otherwise." He raised his hand.

"I know that you think she could have told someone and did not have to shoot Agent David or any other agent who got in the way; but you weren't there and cannot address her state of mind, Agent Fornell. It is clear from this testimony that she believed this was her only option."

"It is also clear that this job was not _her_ plan, and the second shot was accidental, which may have been the shot that caused Agent David to lose the pregnancy."

Jarvis turned again to Gibbs. "Did the doctor give an opinion as to if any particular shot was the reason for the miscarriage?" Gibbs shook his head.

"OK, so we are back to Assault of a Federal Agent, with mitigating circumstances. Agent Fornell, it is your belief that if Mrs. Vance had not been able to gain the trust of Agent Patrick, and obtain and turn on her phone; we would not have been able to locate and apprehend Agent Patrick and of'course Mrs. Vance?"

"Yes Sir; at least as quickly as we did. She also distracted him so that our teams could get in to position for the capture."

"So, Mr. Secretary, what we have is really bad, counteracted by some good; compounded by Agents David's desire that no charges be filed." Fornell summarized.

"Your thoughts, Agent Gibbs?" Jarvis pressed.

Gibbs looked at the room, remembering coming in to see Jenny after he had saved Tony from being brought up on murder charges; by bringing Trent Kort in, and having the CIA take the call for the "sanctioned kill" of René La Grenouille.

A kill he was almost 100% positive that had been committed by one Director Jenny Shepard, and who had walked away from it.

He remembered her obsession with finding and killing "the Frog", all for personal reasons: revenge for her belief that he killed her father. He remembered her bringing his team to Canada for the sole purpose of taking him out, for reasons he did not know at the time, other than he was an international arms dealer.

He considered that _all_ of her actions regarding La Grenouille had probably violated a multitude of Federal Laws, and yet not one had been brought against her. He had looked the other way.

He had protected her, because he had loved her at one time, and maybe still did during that harrowing experience. But she had been the instigator. She was not a victim forced to act in a way she never would have on her own.

He thought of himself, finding his own justice for the murder of Shannon and Kelly. The fact that he himself had committed cold-blooded murder was not lost on him. Yet he never had to pay for that sin, except emotionally and psychologically. Those who knew? They had looked the other way.

Even Ziva's own reason for not pressing charges: who _really_ knew if it was natural causes or the blow Ziva had delivered to the victim's jugular had been the real cause of death? Jenny and Ducky had looked the other way, and Gibbs had been grateful for that.

He looked at Leon comforting his wife. He didn't have the same relationship for Vance, obviously; but Gibbs had always been a fighter for the underdog.

He hated what happened to Ziva and by extension to Tony. He hated he was in this position right now as Acting Director. But he couldn't argue against charging her without bringing up the past, and he hated himself because he couldn't "look the other way."

The biggest difference here was that they had actual proof of the crime. He could not fight that any more than he could fight that the sky was blue.

"Agent Gibbs?" Jarvis brought him out of his reverie.

"Sorry, Sir, I have nothing more to add." Gibbs murmured. _"No one was going to look the other way."_

Jarvis looked thoughtful. "Ok, I've made my decision. Now we need to discuss Director Vance."

**Maryland Shock Trauma**

The doctor had made his rounds the evening before and stated if Ziva had a good night, they would remove the chest tube in the morning.

Tony was again kicked out of the room while they were doing the procedure. He paced around the waiting area.

Every once in a while he would check his phone. It was 0800. The Vance's should be at NCIS by now, getting ready to hear the fate of Mrs. Vance.

He was curious as to what the outcome would be. Whatever happened, he hoped Ziva would accept it, and not let it upset her; especially if they brought her up on serious charges.

The nurse finally popped her head out, and said he could come back. He practically ran back into Ziva's room. She looked a lot more comfortable, not having this huge plastic tube coming out of her chest.

The doctor was still in the room. "Ah, Tony. As I was saying to Ziva we will observe her for a couple of hours. If she is not having problems with her breathing, we will move her to a step-down unit."

Tony smiled wide. "That's great! Isn't it?" He looked at Ziva, who looked unsure. The doctor continued. "We will get her moving today; try to get her to take a walk in the hall."

Tony nodded, Ziva looked doubtful. Once they all left, Tony went to her side. "I've been wanting to do this for days." He gently sat on her bed and stretched himself out along her left side, taking her into his arms.

Ziva took a deep sigh and closed her eyes. "I have missed being in your arms." He kissed her gently. "We'll get through this, I promise you."

Ziva tucked her head into Tony's neck, and held his hand tightly.

**NCIS- 0800**

Leon and Jackie Vance were lead into the Director's office. "Sit down." Secretary Jarvis instructed.

"Mrs. Vance, first of all I want to say that I am extremely grateful that you were not injured during this ordeal. However, I think we can all agree that what just transpired has resulted in serious consequences."

"Based on the shooting of Agent David, we can charge you, Mrs. Vance, with Assault on a Federal Agent with a deadly weapon. The sentence for this charge could be as much as twenty years in a Federal Prison."

Jackie Vance gasped at that and hid her face in her hands. Leon held onto his wife for dear life.

"Agent Fornell?" Jarvis deferred to the FBI SAIC. Fornell stood up and paced a bit. "I have made it clear to the Secretary Jarvis that is it my belief that you were coerced, and that the shooting of Agent David was not preconceived by you, nor was the subsequent extent of her injuries your intended outcome."

"I have also made it clear that from the testimony we received from both you and Agent Patrick that you felt threatened, and were convinced that the safety of your family depended upon your acting out the instructions given to you by him and you truly believed you had no alternative."

"I have also informed Secretary Jarvis that it is my belief that your actions to engage the trust of Agent Patrick was the mitigating factor in his capture and by extension your own. Agent Gibbs?"

"I have spoken at length with Agent David and she has viewed the recording of all of the testimony that was provided yesterday. Despite the seriousness of her injuries, she also believes that you felt you had no choice but to comply with Agent Patrick."

Gibbs took a sip of his coffee before he continued. "She also believes that you did not have the necessary training to react in a way that would have stopped the situation from escalating; or that you had any part in Agent Patrick's plan."

"Agent David has expressed that she does not wish to press any charges against you regarding this incident."

Both Leon and Jackie gasped, and Leon smiled and hugged his wife, unable to believe of the generosity of Agent David.

Secretary Jarvis cleared his throat. "Agent David's wishes will be taken into consideration; however, it is my intention to charge Mrs. Vance for this crime."

Just as quickly, their elation crashed to the ground. "Clayton…" Vance began.

"Director, this is not a private matter between friends. This incident will have repercussions throughout NCIS. There will be some who will not be happy with the outcome of this investigation."

"It will be left up to those left behind to deal with the fallout." He shuffled some papers, and then looked up.

"As the Secretary of the Navy, I am tasked with the ultimate overseeing of all crimes committed against the Navy, the Marine Corps; their men, women and their families; and the employees of all agencies under my jurisdiction, including NCIS and the Navy Yard."

"I would normally not involve myself in this aspect of the investigation and let the FBI take over and be done with it. However, this is not a normal situation."

"This is very sensitive and needs to be dealt with quietly. We do not need negative press or reprisals. Therefore, I will be the judge and jury in this case.

"Regardless of the situation, I cannot ignore the fact the Mrs. Vance shot and seriously injured an NCIS Agent. She will be charged with Assault of a Federal Agent with a deadly weapon."

Leon held onto his wife as she broke down. "However, I am taking into account the statements made by Agents Fornell and Gibbs regarding her frame of mind and her inexperience in dealing with this type of situation."

"Having seen Agent Patrick on the recording, I can't say that my wife would not have reacted the same way. I am also taking into consideration the wishes of Agent David."

He paused to let this all sink in before he continued. "I believe Mrs. Vance has suffered dearly at the hands of Agent Patrick. Based upon the recommendations of Agent Fornell and the wishes of Agent David, she will not serve any time for her crime."

"She will be sentenced to five years of probation, and will be required to serve three years of community service, which I will let the FBI determine. This charge will be on her record, although I will suppress any publication of the charge and sentence."

"I think you should find this exceedingly generous." He looked closely at Leon and Jackie. They both nodded mutely.

"There is another issue that needs to be addressed, and this involves you, Director. I am sure every effort has been made to keep the name of the shooter of Agent David under wraps, but I also know how things work."

"The fact that your wife shot the daughter of the Director of Mossad is of no small concern to us. I am assuming you have not admitted this to Director David?"

Vance straightened up. "No, sir. I have not told him that it was Jackie who shot Agent David."

"Well, I would imagine at some point, he will expect a full explanation. This could have serious ramifications, and could damage our relationship not only with Mossad but with Israel."

"There is also the possibility that some of your agents may have anger and/or distrust issues following this incident. Leon, frankly your ability to continue in your capacity as Director may be compromised."

Leon leaned forward. "Mr. Secretary, am I being fired?" Not only was he angry that was a possibility, he wasn't pleased he was being informed in front of Agents Gibbs and Fornell.

Jarvis held up your hand. "You are not being fired. You will however, be placed on a forced paid Leave of Absence. I think it best that you spend time with your family during this trying time, and let others deal with the fallout."

Jarvis pressed a button. "You can send him in now." The inner door opened. "Director Vance, I am sure you have already met. Agents Gibbs and Fornell, may I present Deputy Director Jerome Craig."

"He will serve as Acting Director in the absence of Director Vance." The Deputy Director shook hands with the men. "I wish I was here under better circumstances, but you have my word that I will work closely with you to make this as painless as possible." This was directed at the SecNav and Agent Gibbs.

Gibbs and Fornell sized up Craig. He seemed to be about ten years older than DiNozzo. He had a ready smile, but Gibbs could see the steel in his eyes.

Jarvis stood and shook Craig's hand. "I will leave this in your capable hands. Gentlemen, you may proceed with your paperwork. Good day." Jarvis quickly left the room.

Everyone eyed each other warily. Finally, Vance broke the silence. "Excuse me, Fornell, Craig. My wife and I would like to speak privately with Agent Gibbs, if that would be alright."

They both nodded, and went into the outer office.

Gibbs looked at them warily. "Leon, I have no say in any of this…"

"I want to see Agent David." Mrs. Vance blurted out. Gibbs eyes opened wide at that and he looked at Leon, who nodded at him.

Gibbs sat down and rubbed his face. "I can't promise anything. All I can do is ask." They both nodded.

Leon and Jackie waited inside his now former office while Gibbs stepped outside to make his call.

Fornell and Craig looked up, questioning. "Mrs. Vance wants to see Ziva." Fornell gathered up his paperwork. "I can do this somewhere else." He left the room.

Gibbs looked at Craig, who wasn't showing any signs of leaving. "Deputy Director, may I please have some privacy while I call my Agent and ask her if she would like to speak to the person who shot her?"

Craig nodded in understanding, and left the room. Gibbs sighed, and called Tony.

"Yeah, DiNozzo. How's Ziva?"

"They removed the chest tube, and if she's is doing ok, they are going to move her out of ICU." Tony sounded tired.

"That's great news, DiNozzo." Gibbs sighed in relief. Finally, some _good_ news.

Tony hesitated. "So, did Jarvis…is it all done with?"

Gibbs answered grimly. "Yeah, it's done. I'll tell you later."

"Ok, so why the call, other than to check on Ziva?" Tony asked.

"Tony, the Director and Mrs. Vance want to visit Ziva, but it's her call; and yours."

Tony didn't hesitate. "Well, you know my answer, but I'll ask Ziva. Hang on…"

Gibbs could hear muffled talking, so he figured Tony put his cell phone against his chest. Less than a minute later, Tony was back on the phone.

"No." That was all Tony said.

"Tony, I need to give them a reason, other than Mrs. Vance shot Ziva, especially since Ziva did not wish to press charges. Given the circumstances, Vance will be pissed. Neither of you want your Director pissed off at you."

"So you're saying 'shooting and almost killing Ziva, even if it was mostly unintentional', is not a good enough reason for us to not want to see them?" Tony sounded worried, because he knew where Gibbs was going with this.

"Tony, you and I both know that is not the real reason."

Tony looked at Ziva. "OK, you can tell them, but only if there are no reprisals against Ziva about us being together. AND Vance keeps his big mouth shut and doesn't say anything to Ziva's father."

"Ok, Tony. I'll make that a condition, before I tell them the real reason."

"And if he doesn't agree?"

"Don't think about it, Tony." Gibbs hung up. He took a deep breath and went back into the Director's office.

Jackie looked up expectantly, but could sense the tension coming off of Agent Gibbs.

Gibbs sat down at the table and looked at them. "They asked that you not come to visit. I will tell you why, but only under certain conditions."

Vance looked confused. "What are you talking about, Gibbs. You don't think I know there is probably something going on between those two?"

Gibbs looked only slightly surprised at that. "Tony has given me permission to tell you something, but only on the condition that there are no reprisals against Ziva and that you do not share whatever I say to you with her father."

"DiNozzo's conditions, huh? And they're all about Ziva. Does that mean he doesn't care what I do to him?"

"Leon! You will not punish Agent DiNozzo for trying to protect his partner. Who taught me that?" Jackie Vance admonished her husband.

Vance looked lovingly at his wife, thinking how close he was to losing her and their children…

He looked at Gibbs, understanding dawning in his eyes. "Oh, shit."

"Do I have your promise, Director, and yours as well, Mrs. Vance? What's said in this room; stays in this room. And for the record, the reprisals extend to Tony as well, per me."

Jackie had looked at Leon in alarm when he said "Oh, shit."

She was confused and now scared. They both nodded their heads.

"You have our word, Gibbs. Nothing will leave this room, and there will be no action taken against either Agent David or Agent DiNozzo."

"And you will not repeat what I am about to tell you to Eli David? You do not need to leave this room to speak to him."

Vance nodded. "You have my word."

Gibbs nodded, satisfied. He wasn't good at this kind of stuff and Mrs. Vance was already overwrought that she had shot Ziva in the first place.

As if reading his mind, Leon moved his chair closer to his wife's, and took her hand.

"You're right, Leon. Tony and Ziva are in a relationship, although I wasn't aware of it until after the shooting. There's no easy way to say this: Ziva was pregnant and lost the baby as a result of the shooting."

Mrs. Vance broke down. "I _am_ a murderer. Oh my god I killed an innocent child…" Vance's mouth was in a hard, thin line; trying to comfort his wife and at the same time imagine the pain his Agents have been trying to live through.

Vance had trouble finding his voice. "How far along was she?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Tony, and I, found out Ziva was pregnant when the surgeon first spoke to us after she came out of surgery. Tony had to tell Ziva that she had been pregnant and that they lost the baby, all at the same time."

"No wonder they won't see us. Leon, I am a terrible person! How can I…How will I…?" Gibbs stood up and left the room, leaving the Director to take care of his wife.

He called Tony. "Ok, it's done. You don't need to worry about anything, just keep Ziva calm so she can heal and get out of there."

_I have no idea if the SecNav has the authority I just gave him, so please cut me some slack for those of you who find this solution completely implausible. As Ziva would say, "That is why it is called fiction, is it not?" The reviews for the Vignette have been amazing, but it is a Vignette, albeit a very long one. This is not a stand-alone story so it will be ending in the next chapter or two. _


	27. Chapter 27

_**Gibbs shook his head. "Tony, and I, found out Ziva was pregnant when the surgeon first spoke to us after she came out of surgery. Tony had to tell Ziva that she had been pregnant and that they lost the baby, all at the same time."**_

"_**No wonder they won't see us. Leon, I am a terrible person! How can I…How will I…?" Gibbs stood up and left the room, leaving the Director to take care of his wife.**_

_**He called Tony. "Ok, it's done. You don't need to worry about anything, just keep Ziva calm so she can heal and get out of there."**_

Vignette Nine- "Hello, Goodbye"- Part Thirteen

Gibbs went to the hospital after lunch to speak with Tony and Ziva regarding the charges that had been brought against Mrs. Vance.

Neither had much to say about it, although Ziva did express that she was glad she would not be sent to prison.

"What about Patrick?" Tony demanded. "He may not have been the one to pull the trigger, but what had happened to Ziva was ultimately _all_ his fault."

Gibbs looked tired. "Secretary Jarvis agreed that Agent Patrick would have to undergo a Psychiatric evaluation. He also agreed to the charges Fornell informed Patrick that he would be charged with."

"Tony." Gibbs grabbed his arm. "Agent Patrick will not get a 'pass' if some sob-story Psychiatrist determines that he was insane and therefore cannot be held accountable for his actions. He admitted to his crimes on recorded testimony."

Gibbs made Tony look him in the eye. "It's not going to happen, DiNozzo. I can promise you. You weren't in that room with Jarvis and Fornell."

"Patrick is going to be put away, probably for life. Agent Riley died this morning. The charge of 'attempted murder' will be changed to 'First-degree Murder of Agent Joseph Riley.' He's not going to get out of this." Gibbs stared Tony down.

"He better not, Boss, or 'First Degree Murder Charges' will be sought against me, for murdering _Agent_ Eric Patrick."

Gibbs pulled Tony from the room. "I get it, Tony. Take a place in that long line." He let Tony digest that. "Don't let it eat at you, DiNozzo."

"Don't let your anger destroy you. You need to focus on Ziva, and yourself, and trying to heal as best as you can from this…tragedy."

"Once Ziva has become more herself, you will need to be there to help her deal with _her_ anger. You almost lost her. Don't lose her again by letting her give in to revenge."

Tony nodded mutely. Gibbs had his hand on Tony's shoulder, lightly putting pressure on it. He was free with the hugs for Abby and Ziva, but hugging Tony and McGee was something he was not comfortable with.

He got past that and pulled Tony into a slight hug. He was surprised that Tony held on tighter. "I'm gonna' need your help, Boss." He whispered.

"Ziva and I will always have your back, Tony; just as you and I will always have Ziva's back. Let's go back in there before she gets upset." Tony nodded, and surprised Gibbs by wiping tears off of his cheek.

They headed back in. Gibbs was right, Ziva had been crying. Tony rushed to her side. "I'm sorry, Ziva. I lost my temper. I didn't mean to upset you." He stroked her hair.

Gibbs was not quite comfortable witnessing the intimacy between his two agents, but it is what it is.

Ziva leaned into Tony's hand. "Do not do anything stupid, Tony. We have already lost too much…" Tony wiped a tear away from her face with his thumb.

"I won't. I promise." Tony looked deeply into her eyes to make sure she understood and believed him. An imperceptible nod indicated she did.

Tony placed a light kiss on her lips and straightened up. He turned back to Gibbs. "How did Vance take all of this?"

Gibbs hadn't gotten to Director Vance yet. "Regarding the sentence? They were grateful. However, Vance has been put on a mandatory Leave of Absence to spend time with his family, and to diffuse any fallout that probably will occur at NCIS. Deputy Director Jerome Craig will be stepping in as Acting Director."

"Deputy Director Jerome Craig? About Vance's height, older than me?" Tony asked.

Gibbs looked surprised. "You know him?"

Tony shook his head. "Not personally, but I make it my business to know who the hierarchy are, and what they look like."

Gibbs smiled. He knew what Tony was saying was that he didn't want to get caught doing something stupid in front of a superior, present company excepted.

He nodded. "One in the same. Jarvis called him in after he told Vance of his unplanned Leave of Absence. I only spent about a minute with him; I have a meeting with him in about…" Gibbs checked his watch. "Two hours."

Tony thought about this new information. He was grateful he wouldn't have to deal with Vance for a while, maybe even never; but breaking in a new Director was always a painful process.

"How much does this new guy know?" Tony asked hesitantly.

Gibbs looked at his Agents. "He was not present at the 'sentencing', if that's what you want to call it; I am sure he has all of our files."

"I will talk to him about you two. If he has a problem with it, I will go over his head to the SecNav. Jarvis was sympathetic."

"And while you, Tony, were not identified as the father, it was understood; at least by Fornell."

"Well, if he splits us up, I'll go to another team. If he tries to send me to Timbuktu, then I will quit NCIS."

"Tony!" Ziva gasped. "I cannot let you quit."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let me talk to the Deputy Director and get a feel for him." Gibbs responded.

"If he's smart, he's not going to rip the team apart after what it's just been through." Gibbs finished.

"I guess that's the million dollar question, isn't it?" Tony asked.

Gibbs looked at Ziva. "Ziver, there has been no decision regarding your father and telling him who exactly shot you. I think this ball is in Leon's court, but we are going to have to deal with the fallout while he is gone."

"I will tell him." Ziva said quietly. Gibbs and Tony looked at Ziva in shock.

"No, it will be best coming from me. I will have to lie to him about the circumstances; I will say the gun went off accidently."

"Twice?" Gibbs questioned.

"Yes, I will say she was struggling with Agent Patrick when I came in. I was shot before I was able to draw my gun. He then took her with him to protect himself, believing I was dead."

Gibbs and Tony sat silently, looking at each other.

"Do you really think you can pull that off?" Tony asked, concerned.

Ziva nodded. "I will tell him my memory is no longer fogged up."

"Well, let me know before you tell him this story, so I can tell Leon. He will call Leon right away to verify it. I don't want him caught with his pants down."

"Horrible image, Boss." Tony replied.

"Ziva, when you get your strength back, head slap him for me, will you?"

That got a smile out of Ziva.

Gibbs thought for a while. "Getting back to your 'story', Ziva; it's plausible, and since Vance wasn't there when it happened, he would not have known his wife was involved in the shooting."

"And as long as the recordings of the shooting never find their way into Eli's hands, he will see Mrs. Vance as an innocent victim, along with Ziva. Hopefully." Tony added.

"The recording is safe." Gibbs said, sending a mental note to himself for Tim to destroy any copies he made.

"I gotta' go." He went over and kissed Ziva. "Get to work, Agent David, and get your ass out of this hospital!"

Ziva smiled. "Yes, Gibbs." He glared at her. "I promise!" She added.

They watched him leave. Ziva looked at Tony, with sadness. "Tony, you would not really murder Agent Patrick if he was set free would you?"

Tony smiled grimly. "No. You and I would beat him to a pulp to within an inch of his life, leaving grisly scars to remind him every day of his sins."

Ziva sucked in her breath. "I think I am washing off too much on you, Tony."

"That's 'rubbing' off, Ziva. And maybe you are. But you are definitely a positive influence and I'd like to think that I am having at least a small positive influence on you."

She held out her arms. Tony sat on the bed. "Help me sit up." She asked.

Tony looked surprised. "Are you sure?"

"You heard Gibbs. I am to get my 'ass' out of this hospital. I guess I have some work to do, yes?" She looked deeply into Tony's eyes.

"I will be with you every step of the way." Tony murmured and kissed her deeply.

"Ok, ready to try to stand? Here we go. Whoa…little wobbly there. Take your time." Tony gave Ziva time to get her equilibrium, then got on her right side and put his arm around her left side.

"You just tell me where. 'Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go.'"

Ziva looked at Tony in shock. "You just quoted the Old Testament."

Tony smiled sadly. "I know, the Book of Ruth. It was my mother's favorite."

They stared into each other's eyes, feeling instinctively that their relationship had just taken a huge step forward.

Ziva kissed his lips, and then smiled shyly. "Well, for now, you get to follow me to the bathroom." Tony threw back his head and laughed; his first real laugh since the horrific events of the past few days.

**NCIS**

Gibbs sat as his desk, waiting for the meeting with Craig. On his way to the Navy Yard he called Vance, telling him what Ziva planned to tell her father.

Once again, Vance was speechless at Ziva's actions and tried to convey that to Gibbs, but he cut him off. "Save it, Leon. Maybe someday you will be able to tell Ziva herself." He hung up.

McGee and Abby were excited by Ziva's progress and planned to visit her again that night. They had not been informed of the charges against Mrs. Vance, in accordance with the wishes of the SecNav.

Gibbs felt they had the right to know, and would tell them eventually, but not at work. He pulled Tim aside. "McGee, do you still have copies of the recordings of the shooting?"

Tim frowned. "Of'course, Boss. Is there a problem?"

"Yeah." Gibbs replied. "Erase it, shred it, and burn it. I want them all gone."

Tim looked confused, but nodded. "On it, Boss."

He walked over to Abby. "I know you kept your own copy of the recordings of the shooting. I want it, now." Abby looked at Gibbs with huge eyes, and then went down to her lab.

She returned ten minutes later and handed over the thumb drive. "It was safe, Gibbs." She explained.

"Uh, huh. McGee!" He handed the thumb drive to him. "This too."

Finally, unable to wait any longer, Gibbs headed upstairs and sat in the outer office of the new Acting Director, waiting to be summoned.

At the precise time of the appointment, he was asked to enter. Craig rose from his chair and shook hands with Gibbs again.

"Please, Special Agent Gibbs, sit." Craig pointed to the chair that was opposite the big desk.

Gibbs sat down. Craig looked at Gibbs. "First of all, I want to say that I empathize with what your team has been put through the past few days. I sincerely hope that Agent David recovers completely and is able to return to duty as soon as the doctors allow."

He flipped through some papers. "I have read the transcript of the meeting that occurred this morning and found it quite interesting. I am of'course in full accord with the decision of Secretary Jarvis."

"I am hoping this will truly be a temporary assignment, but I do understand and agree that Director Vance needs to have some distance from this, for a while."

"I am here to assist you and your team in any way I can, to get them through this ordeal. Especially," He looked at his file. "Agent Anthony DiNozzo and Agent David."

Gibbs shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Sir?"

Craig smiled. "Relax Agent Gibbs. I'm not going to punish Agents DiNozzo or David for developing a personal relationship, and I certainly am not going to split them up."

Gibbs relaxed visibly at that. "They have been partners for…eight years. It is not uncommon for work partners to develop feelings for each other. That's how I met my wife."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing.

"NCIS does not have a rule against employees dating each other or even being married to each other. From what I've heard, that has been _your_ rule."

Gibbs cocked his head. "I have a lot of rules." He replied.

Craig smiled. "I've heard that as well. So what rule are **you **going to enforce regarding this situation, Gibbs?"

"Rule No. 51." He replied without hesitation.

Craig was taken aback, that Gibbs had that many rules. "Number fifty-one? And which rule is that?"

Gibbs smiled slightly. "Sometimes you're wrong."

Craig chuckled at that. "Will Director Vance back you on that?"

"Does it matter?" Gibbs asked.

"I only asked because I fully expect him to return to this seat and once again oversee your team. So I will ask again; will Director Vance back you on that?"

Gibbs looked Jerome Craig in the eye. "Damn straight he will."

Craig nodded. "As will I. Go take care of your team. If there is fallout from Eli David and Mossad, we will talk again." He stood again and held out his hand.

"Thank you for your time, Gibbs."

"Thank you, _Director_ Craig." Gibbs walked out of the office.

**Maryland Shock Trauma**

Tony and Ziva talked for a while and then she made her call to her father. He quizzed her relentlessly; shocked that Leon's wife could be involved in her shooting.

But Ziva was strong and held to her story, and he actually cried for his friend Leon. He did not cry for his own daughter, but…Ziva decided not to share this information with Tony.

She did not tell him about the baby, but she did tell him that she and Tony had decided to move in together; once she got out of the hospital. He sputtered a bit, but in the end, he knew his daughter's heart.

"Very well, if that is what you wish." Eli conceded.

"It is, Abba. It is what we both want." Ziva asserted.

"Let me speak to Agent DiNozzo."

"Abba!" Ziva warned.

He chuckled. "Do not worry about your 'Tony', Ziva."

Silently, she handed her phone over to Tony. Tony looked scared and mouthed _"me?"_

Reluctantly, he took her phone. "Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo."

"Please, I think there is no need for such formality anymore, in light of what my daughter has just told me."

"Okay, I guess not. So, what? DiNozzo? Anthony? Tony?" Tony was shaking.

"Whatever your preference is, of'course." Eli David countered.

"Tony it is then. Boy, that's a relief, whew!"

"I know you hide behind what you call, humor, 'Tony', but there is nothing humorous about my daughter's heart."

Tony felt properly chastised. "No Sir, there isn't. She is everything to me and I will always love and take care of her. Too bad her Father can't make that same claim."

Ziva sucked in her breath, and shot Tony a warning look.

Eli David sighed. "You think I have no business expressing concern about the welfare of my daughter, yes?"

Tony didn't hesitate. "Yes. Perhaps I would feel differently if you had expressed said concern for her welfare prior to…today."

Eli David smiled. He was beginning to like Anthony DiNozzo. He was not a clown in a Feds suit. He was smart, devious and savvy. He was very good at his job. And he clearly was not afraid to admit to the Director of Mossad that he loved his daughter. Only a man such as this was worthy of Ziva.

"Tony, please. I do not deny my past. But we are talking about the future now, are we not? I would love my daughter dearly, despite my actions or inactions."

"Well then, in that case, _Sir_," Tony had not been given permission to call him anything intimate; "Ziva and I look forward to you making an effort of being a positive part of her life. Shalom." Tony handed the phone back to Ziva, who was stunned.

"Abba?" She asked, afraid of the fallout from the conversation she had just overheard.

"I was wrong, Ziva." She heard her father say.

"What do you mean, Abba?" Ziva asked, afraid of the answer.

"I was wrong about Agent…Tony. He is the perfect man for you. I trust him to take care of you. Shalom, Ziva."

"Shalom, Abba." Ziva hung up and stared at her phone.

"So, is he putting a hit out on me?" Tony tried to keep his tone light.

Ziva looked up at him. "No, Tony. He has given you, us, his blessing."

Tony stared at her for a moment, and then sat down. "Well, I'll be damned, and I seriously hope that we aren't damned by this…'blessing.' Are you sure you heard him right?"

Ziva nodded, then smiled; the first real genuine smile Tony had seen in days. He got up and sat on her bed. "I will make sure he never regrets his decision." Tony kissed Ziva as passionately as he thought appropriate considering her physical injuries.

**Later that Night**

Gibbs sat with Tim and Abby at his house. He carefully explained what had transpired and the end result. He stressed that they were not to mention this conversation to anyone.

He told them that Acting Director Craig said he was not going to split the team up because of Tony and Ziva's relationship. He hoped he wasn't just giving Gibbs what he wanted to hear.

Gibbs also wanted to know how they felt about working with them, knowing they were "together."

Abby piped up first, raising her hand like she was in school. "I always knew something was going on, even when it wasn't. I feel horrible about the baby."

"Gibbs, they are going to need our friendship and support. We are all going to be there for them, aren't we McGee?" Abby's remark was almost a dare.

Tim looked at Abby, then back at Gibbs. "I'm a little surprised, but I guess that's how good they are at keeping it out of the office. But since we all now know, I agree with Abby; we need to stand behind them."

Gibbs nodded, pleased with his team. Gibbs knew that he himself was going to have to make a major attitude adjustment, allowing Tony and Ziva to remain together on the team while they were seeing each other.

He didn't tell McGee and Abby what they had told him when he called them back after speaking with Director Craig. _"If Tony and Ziva want them to know they are moving in together, they should be the ones to tell them, not me." _ Gibbs thought.

He also didn't tell them about the reaction of Ziva's father regarding their relationship, just to what Ziva told him how she got shot. Again, it was none of their business as far as he was concerned, unless or until Mossad decided to stick its nose into the shooting. Ziva seemed convinced that her father believed her story of how it happened.

"What about Vance, Boss?" Tim asked. "When do you think he'll be back?" Gibbs looked at McGee. "I think the question is _'if'_ McGee, not when."

McGee opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it.

_**We're almost done here. Thank you so much for the support and encouragement you have given me while writing this Vignette.**_

_**Your reviews and comments have been thoughtful and insightful. Thank you for taking the time to review my little stories. One last short chapter and this Vignette will be done.**_


	28. Chapter 28

_**Gibbs nodded, pleased with his team. Gibbs knew that he himself was going to have to make a major attitude adjustment, allowing Tony and Ziva to remain together on the team while they were seeing each other.**_

**_He didn't tell McGee and Abby what they had told him when he called them back after speaking with Director Craig. _"If Tony and Ziva want them to know they are moving in together, they should be the ones to tell them, not me."_ Gibbs thought._**

_**He also didn't tell them about the reaction of Ziva's father regarding their relationship, just to what Ziva told him how she got shot. Again, it was none of their business as far as he was concerned, unless or until Mossad decided to stick its nose into the shooting. Ziva seemed convinced that her father believed her story of how it happened.**_

"_**What about Vance, Boss?" Tim asked. "When do you think he'll be back?" Gibbs looked at McGee. "I think the question is 'if' McGee, not when."**_

_**McGee opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it.**_

Vignette Nine- "Hello, Goodbye"- Prologue

**NCIS- Three Months Later**

So far, Acting Director Craig had made the rounds and was out and about a little bit more than Vance, but unobtrusive. They all knew when he first started; he was getting the lay of the land, and people watching to figure out personalities.

He had settled in nicely and Gibbs had developed a cordial working relationship with him.

Gibbs had been right regarding Agent Eric Patrick: A respected Psychiatrist entered his opinion that Agent Patrick was not only mentally unstable and should not be held accountable for his actions, but also would not be able to stand trial.

The Federal Judge threw out the Defense motion. Because some of the testimony could be considered in the realm of "National Security," mostly the issue that the daughter of the Director of Mossad had been shot; the court case was closed and there was no jury.

Agent Eric Patrick was convicted on First-Degree Murder, Intent to Commit First-Degree Murder, Kidnapping, and Second-degree Assault on a Federal Agent with a deadly weapon.

Because of his mental status, he was sentenced to Life in a Federal Prison, with no chance for Parole.

Despite Leon Vance being home with his wife and children, Jackie Vance could not forgive herself that she had killed an innocent child, accidental or not.

Having to stand witness for the Prosecution had been a harrowing ordeal, having to relive it all over again, and she fell into a deep depression. A failed suicide attempt caused Director Vance to tender his resignation, needing to support and help his wife as she received therapy and psychological support.

Tony sat as his desk, every once in a while glancing up at the desk across from his. Ziva had been able to return to work after being out for almost a month.

Ziva had continued to improve and had been discharged after being in the hospital for three weeks. Right now, they were living in Tony's apartment. They were planning to go house hunting this coming weekend.

"I'm starved! Let's go find some lunch." Tony declared.

Ziva smiled. She walked up to Tony, who was already standing. "Want to join us, McGee?" She asked.

Tim shook his head. "No, thanks. You two go ahead." He didn't say that he already had plans with Abby.

"Hey, Ziver." Gibbs walked up.

Ziva gave him a big smile. "We are just going to get some lunch. You are welcome to join us."

Gibbs smiled, remembering the tough, abrasive and tactless young woman he met eight years ago, and marveling at the soft, thoughtful, caring woman she had become.

Oh, she was still tough, and he would rather have her at his back than most of the Marines he had known through the years. But her being with them, and especially with Tony, had mellowed this beautiful girl.

Gibbs remembered what Abby had shared with him after that awful kidnapping case that resulted in the death of the Navy Captain and the father of a young girl.

Abby had overheard Lydia, the young girl; she had asked Ziva if the death of a loved one was hard to get over. Ziva had responded by saying that "one gets over the loss of a wallet, or a watch. But a loved one? They never leave you. You never get over; you only get through, by leaning on others, by comfort of friends…"

Every once in a while he would catch a glimpse between them, a lingering sadness that would never leave them. He knew that they would never get over the loss of their child, but they were getting through it. Maybe one day…

Gibbs shook his head. He knew their relationship was progressing, but he wasn't ready to go _there_ yet.

He was so proud of her, and he was proud of how Tony had stepped up to the plate when it mattered most.

"Nah, go have fun. You don't need me."

Ziva came up to him and whispered in his ear, "I will always need you, Gibbs." She placed her hand on his cheek.

"Well, maybe you can bring me back a Reuben." He decided.

"On it, Boss!" Tony took Ziva's hand and they headed toward the elevator.

Gibbs shook his head. Three months ago, he would have slapped them both silly for walking around holding hands. Now he was sure that Tim and Abby were seeing each other again, although neither had said anything.

Gibbs sat back down at his desk and looked around. He was by himself.

His team was whole again, and they were happy. He would give them the news about Vance later today.

Gibbs looked up and saw the new Director of NCIS standing on the upper level, a woman at his side. Gibbs recognized her as one of the European Liaisons, and took a stab in the dark that she was also Director Craig's wife.

Change was definitely in the air, and Gibbs wondered fleetingly if he was up to it. He still had quite a few years left in him yet. Maybe when DiNozzo finally took the step and announced he was ready for his own team…

Until then, Gibbs would lead his "kids" through hell or high water, and meet head one whatever was thrown at them. They were survivors, and Gibbs wouldn't trade one of them.

He looked around the empty bullpen until he heard the laughter of his returning agents. He smiled to himself, shaking his head. Once they got back, he put his Gibbs face back on.

"Ok, party's over. McGee: what's the status of McLaren's phone and bank records? DiNozzo: did you ever get back to the PI that had been hired to follow the Petty Officer?"

"David! Where are those security camera photos?"

"On it, Boss!" "Still waiting to hear back, Boss!" "Got them right here, Gibbs!"

Gibbs hid his smile. "All right, up on the plasma. Show me what you've got."

_**Finis. Hope you enjoyed this Vignette. It was a tougher one for me to write but I hope I didn't screw up too much. Your reviews have been amazing and I can't thank you enough for supporting this series.**_

_**When I see a new spoiler I want to write about, that will be the next Vignette. I can't tell you when that will be, as the spoiler or promo has to move me in some way to want to write about it. Hopefully, there are more stories out there yet to tell. **_


	29. Chapter 29

_**Vignette Two was about DiNozzo, Sr. coming for Christmas. With the new spoilers regarding Tony's home, and the TIVA of the past few episodes, I decided to write an alternate story to this spoiler/preview. In my first Vignette on this spoiler, T& Z were already in a relationship. They are not in this one. Don't be confused- treat it as a standalone.**_

Vignette Ten: "You Better Watch Out" – Part One

Tony busied himself about his apartment. His Dad's flight was due in two hours. DiNozzo, Sr. insisted that he could take a cab to his son's place, instead of Tony coming to pick him up.

"_Of all the years, why did he have to pick this one to come for Christmas?"_ Tony grumbled to himself. He had volunteered his place for the annual Christmas get-together, which he had been looking forward to. Until now.

Adding his father to the mix was stressing him out. He loved his father, but he had been hoping for a nice, relaxing party; of having fun with his friends.

Now he would have to be constantly on guard, making sure his Dad didn't make a fool of himself, or of his son; lusting after Ziva…

Ziva.

Tony had hoped this little party would include more Ziva time, maybe even talking her into staying after everyone left, you know, for some more one-on-one sharing. That's not gonna' happen _now_, thanks Dad!

"What is not going to happen now?"

Tony turned to see Ziva come out of the kitchen. He hadn't realized that he had spoken out loud. Ziva had on oven mitts, so she must have just been checking on the turkey.

Much to his surprise and pleasure, Ziva had agreed to come over early to help him with the food. She had immediately settled in the kitchen and was making one delicious dish after another.

"Uh…" Tony looked like he wished he could disappear. "That turkey smells great. Definitely not going to burn, is it?" Tony turned, and winced, knowing she would not fall for that being the reason for his comment.

She took off the mitts and flopped on the sofa. Tony looked at her amused. "Tired already? The party hasn't even started yet!"

Ziva looked at him, her eyebrow cocked. "And you? You have cleaned your bathroom now, four times, yes?"

Tony flopped beside her. "You are worrying too much over your father, Tony. You would not be going to all this fuss if he was not going to be here."

Tony opened his mouth to protest, but he knew it was true, at least about the over-cleaning of his apartment.

Everyone from the team had been to his place at some point in time, collectively or separately; so it wasn't like they hadn't seen how he lived.

Not that Tony was a slob. His apartment was always fairly neat. He wasn't one to leave clothes on the floor (they cost too much!) or leave empty take-out cartons in the living room or kitchen (who liked bugs?).

But his Dad hadn't seen this place yet. He wanted to make a good impression. Despite Tony's seemingly wild, single guy lifestyle, his home reflected his taste in clothes: tasteful, conservative, expensive and well taken care of.

"Thanks for coming early to help out." Tony said, looking at Ziva.

"My pleasure, Tony. As soon as I heard you say your father would be here, I knew you would panic and run around in circles."

"Hey, I'm not panicking. And I haven't been running around in circles." Tony pouted. Ziva looked at him, giving him her "you are kidding me, yes?" smile.

"Ok, I'll admit to being slightly, repeat, _slightly_ unnerved, at the thought of my father being here tonight and for however long he is staying."

"God, I hope I don't have to go through New Year's with him, too." Tony shuddered.

Ziva laughed. "He has not told you how long he is staying?"

Tony looked into Ziva's face. Her smile lit up the whole room. What had her friend Shmeil said? _"Who could say no to a smile like that?"_

"Tony?" Tony had been staring at Ziva. "I'm sorry, what was the question?"

Ziva just chuckled. She patted his arm. "It will be fine, Tony. Do not worry. Gibbs will be here. Your father will behave."

"Well, in case he decides to maneuver you under the mistletoe, please promise me you will not let my father kiss you on the lips. That is an open invitation to him."

Ziva looked at Tony in surprise. "You are worried that your father will try to hit on me? I got that right, yes?"

Tony leaned his head back into the sofa cushion and turned to look at her. "Ziva, he either hits on you every time he sees you or…"

"Or what?"

Tony bit his lip. Aw, what the hell, he did say it in front of her after all.

"Or, he tells me to get off my ass and sweep you off your feet before someone else does."

Ziva looked at Tony for a long moment. "So what is it going to take for you to get off of your ass?"

Tony sat up, not sure what Ziva was saying. Ziva stood up. "I want to discuss something with you." She was all business.

Tony's mind whirled at the change of mood. "Ok, sure. What is it?"

Ziva pointed along his bookcase. "These pictures."

Tony got up to see where she was pointing. There were dozens of framed pictures on his bookshelves. There were pictures of the team and of his family. In one area, he had individual pictures of the team, including Kate and Paula Cassidy.

"Yeah, ok. What about them?" Tony was confused.

Ziva turned on him, and he could tell she was upset. "One is missing is it not?"

Tony looked again, and realized Ziva's individual picture was not up there with the others.

"Oh…" Privately, he was pleased that one, she had noticed it's absence and two, seem unhappy by it.

"Well, I put it some place special." Tony said.

Ziva glared at him. "Some place special?"

"Yes, somewhere so that it would be the first thing I see when I got up in the morning."

Ziva looked confused and not appeased. "You put a nicely framed picture of me on your toilet tank?"

Tony laughed out loud at that. He was laughing so hard, he had tears in his eyes. "Oh, God." He wiped his eyes.

He looked at Ziva, who was neither laughing nor crying, just glaring.

He took her hand. "Follow me." He said.

"Please?" Tony smiled.

The corners of Ziva's mouth twitched a little bit. "Ok, since you said please."

Tony took her into his bedroom. She would never forget the first time she saw this room and saw his bed.

"I still can not believe you have a canopy bed, Tony." Ziva shook her head.

"Never heard you complain about it." He answered. Ziva gave him another one of her looks.

"OK, lay down. No really. Humor me, Ziva." Tony lied down on his bed and Ziva lay next to him.

They both stared up at his canopy, which was just a sheer fabric and barely noticeable in the dark.

"Ok, the alarm has gone off, and up I roll on my left side to get out of bed." Tony mimicked his morning wake up. He looked at Ziva and indicated she should do the same.

"What's the first think you see?"

Ziva stared straight ahead, from her position on Tony's bed. There on his nightstand, was the missing picture.

"It's the last thing I see when I go to bed, and the first thing I see when I wake up." Tony said quietly.

Ziva scooted over so that they were sitting next to each other on the bed.

"Why?"

Tony shrugged. "Feels right, I guess."

Ziva was silent. "Tony, why do you have a canopy bed?"

Tony looked up at the bed and turned his head to take it all in. "I think my mom wanted a girl. I told you she used to dress me up in these ridiculous little outfits.

Well, the first bed I ever had was a canopy. It wasn't girly or anything. She had to have the bedding hand-made to make it gender neutral."

Tony laughed ruefully. "Gender neutral. She had a son and wanted his room to be gender neutral. That's something for the psychiatrist's couch, don't you think?"

Tony sighed deeply and felt Ziva take his hand. "But you know; I didn't mind it. I actually kind of liked it. I was in my own little cocoon. The top of'course was regular fabric, not this see-through stuff. So it was almost like being in a dungeon, or a fort, or a cave."

"It was a small, comfortable place for you to escape to." Ziva murmured.

Tony looked at her. "Maybe. Almost to the minute after my Mom died, Dad had the bed taken apart and replaced it with a twin bed. Then off to boarding school.

I never liked my room again after that."

Ziva never took her eyes off of his face. "I am sorry, Tony."

"Don't be. Besides, I have it back now."

He looked concerned. "Do you think that's weird, Ziva? To want the same bed I had as a child? Isn't there some medical term describing how crazy this is?"

Ziva smiled and placed her hand on his cheek. Tony leaned into it, closing his eyes. "No, Tony. I do not think it is weird. I am happy that _you_ have something happy to hold on to, to carry on with you in your adult life."

Tony smiled. "I knew you liked it. Tell me honestly: what did you think about it the first time you saw it?"

Ziva stifled a laugh. "Well, as I recall, it was dark, so I am not sure I realized at first it was a canopy bed."

Tony's eyes were wide. "But you did in the morning!"

This time Ziva couldn't hold back her laugh this time. "Yes, and I admit it, I was…stunned? I thought maybe this was an Italian thing."

Tony was laughing so hard that Ziva couldn't help it and they both fell back on his bed. "Honestly Tony. I have no idea what I thought, but it was probably something like you were stranger than I had first decided."

"That bad, huh?" Tony was still laughing, tears in his eyes. Suddenly, he turned on his side and faced her. "And what about after?"

Ziva turned on her side to face him. "After…what?"

"You know…" Tony said slowly.

"Hmm…well, I think I answered that question well before morning, yes?" Ziva laughed. Tony grinned and flopped back onto his back, his hands behind his head.

"Yes…you…did!"

The laughing died down, a slight awkwardness developing.

"That _was_ fun, wasn't it?" Tony turned to Ziva again.

Ziva eyed Tony, measuring her response. "Of'course mindless sex is fun, when that is all you are looking for. But…"

"But that is not what you are looking for any more, is it Ziva." It was not a question, it was an observation.

"Tony, I have not been looking for 'mindless sex' for years. You should know that. And you shouldn't be either."

Tony looked surprised. "Who says I am?"

Ziva opened her mouth, looking shocked. "You! Every time you come in, you are bragging about some woman you have conquered with your DiNozzo charm."

Tony sat up on his elbow. "That's not true. Ok, it _used _to be true. But can you give me one instance since May that I have waltzed in bragging about my sexual exploits the night before?"

Ziva regarded Tony closely. "Why since May? What significance does that…?" She didn't finish her thought.

"Well, you did 'lust' after that murderer Judy." She said, keeping her voice controlled.

Tony shrugged. "That was just to keep up appearances. I had a certain reputation to protect."

He lay back down, staring at this canopy top. "May changed things. Changed my perspective: on my life, on my job, on the things that matter; and the things that don't."

"So…" Ziva said. "You are saying you are no longer interested in 'mindless sex?' You are only interested in…"

"Ziva." Tony turned on his side again to face her. "The only thing I am interested in is having a meaningful relationship with a woman who means a lot to me and who feels the same about me."

"No sex?" Ziva looked at his mouth.

"Meaningful sex." Tony answered quickly, smiling.

"I see." Ziva answered. "And have you met this…meaningful woman?" She asked lightly, not sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Yes."

It was as simple as that, and it cut like a knife. "Oh." Ziva responded quietly, keeping her voice neutral. She started to get up.

Tony caught her arm and brought her back down beside him. "Ziva, what have we been doing the past few months?"

Ziva looked perplexed. "We have been working cases…"

"No." Tony interrupted. "I'm talking about you and me, and not about work."

Ziva blinked her eyes several times. "You and I have been talking about ourselves, being more open about things, sharing things that matter, baring our souls…"

"What we have been doing is sharing important, private thoughts that we have maybe not shared with others. Sharing things that are…_meaningful_." Tony finished her sentence.

Ziva fell silent, searching his eyes for some sign that he was mocking her. All she saw was the Tony she had learned to appreciate these past few precious months. A Tony that was thoughtful, caring and mature.

Tony took a chance and brushed a lock of hair back from her forehead.

Ziva took a deep breath. "Is that what these past months have meant for you?" She asked. Tony looked at Ziva, scared to admit his feeling, especially if she did not share them.

"Yes." There he said it. He wasn't going to ask Ziva the same question. She would answer it by whatever her next action was.

Ziva stared at Tony, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. She was afraid, but she was also elated. After all these years, could it possibly have been this simple? After everything that they have been through; that in the end, it would be the two of them, together?

She knew Tony was waiting for some sort of response from her. She didn't know what to do. When she heard Tony sigh and roll back onto his back, she was brought back from her musings.

She realized he thought she had rejected him. She sat up next to him and placed her hands on his face.

"Tony…" She said quietly.

"Yes." He answered unenthusiastically.

"Look at me." She said a little louder.

Reluctantly, Tony tore his eyes from the ceiling and looked into the eyes of the woman he just told he wanted a 'meaningful relationship' with.

"My hesitation was from surprise, not because I did not…"

"Sometimes it is best not to say anything, yes?" Tony looked at Ziva in surprise. His eyes opened wider when she suddenly kissed him.

He quickly got over his surprise and wrapped his arms around her, deepening the kiss. Feeling her response, he flipped her over so that he was now on top of her.

They both stopped for much needed oxygen and looked at each other. "Are you sure?" Tony asked. "I don't want this to come between our friendship; and certainly not work."

Ziva smiled. "I will have no problem keeping our private life from our work life. Will you? You have not been too successful, in the past."

Tony flipped her again so that Ziva was on top. "That was because it was wrong. It was never meant to work."

This time Ziva flipped Tony so he was back on top. "I got the impression that you did intend for it to work; in fact you told Gibbs your personal life was none of his business."

Tony looked shocked. "He told you that? He _never_ would have told you that. _Would_ he?" He flipped them again.

"Are you trying to talk me out of this?" He asked seriously. Ziva looked down at him. "No, I just want you to be absolutely sure that you are serious about this and will not run at the first sign of trouble."

This time Tony raised himself up. "Do you really need to ask that, after all we've been sharing?"

Ziva placed her hand on his cheek. "Not really, I am just…"

Tony kissed her. "Don't be afraid to love, Ziva. Not every man you love is going to be an idiot loser. I can't promise that I might act _occasionally_ like an idiot, but I _can_ promise you that I will do my absolute best to not disappoint you."

This time, Ziva smiled and Tony pulled her down to him, flipping them again so that he was on top. Just as Tony was considering removing her top, the doorbell rang.

Tony groaned and collapsed on top of Ziva. "No! It can't be time for my Dad to be here yet!" Ziva just laughed and rolled him off of her. "Go wash all of that lipstick off of your face. I will let him in."

Tony looked at Ziva as she stood up. "Well then in that case, Ziva, you better straighten your clothes. You look like you just made out in the backseat of a car."

Ziva gasped and looked at herself. She made a face at him and gave herself a quick look in the mirror. Her hair was all messy and her shirt has half-undone.

"You had better move that picture back as well." Ziva said, pointing to her picture on his bedside table. "I will not be the only one to notice its absence. You may not want to answer the question."

Tony smiled and grabbed the picture and ran it out to the bookcase. He then went back into his bedroom to make himself presentable while Ziva composed herself to answer the door.

_**Hope you enjoyed. Next up, Tony's dad and the party, but only if I get lots of feedback. I don't know how some you guys can write multiple stories at the same time. **_


	30. Chapter 30

_**Ziva gasped and looked at herself. She made a face at him and gave herself a quick look in the mirror. Her hair was all messy and her shirt has half-undone.**_

"_**You had better move that picture back as well." Ziva said, pointing to her picture on his bedside table. "I will not be the only one to notice its absence. You may not want to answer the question."**_

_**Tony smiled and grabbed the picture and ran it out to the bookcase. He then went back into his bedroom to make himself presentable while Ziva composed herself to answer the door.**_

Vignette Ten: "You Better Watch Out" – Part Two

Ziva took a deep breath and opened the door. Anthony DiNozzo, Sr.'s smile couldn't have been wider. "Ziva, sweetheart! I should have known Jr. would finally come to his senses. Welcome to the family!"

He placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed both of her cheeks. Ziva was horrified to feel the heat coming from her cheeks. "It is very nice to see you as well, Mr. DiNozzo.

However, I am only here helping Tony with the party for tonight."

Tony's father chuckled. "Of'course you are. And what did I tell you? Call me Tony or Anthony, please."

Ziva smiled. "Very well, Anthony." Having two Tony's in the same room would be confusing enough for her.

"Where is my son?" Sr. looked around the apartment with interest.

"Right here, Dad. Sorry, I was in the bathroom cleaning up, and didn't hear the doorbell. Is that all you brought?"

DiNozzo, Sr. had with him one medium sized suitcase.

Sr. looked at the items in questions quizzically, not understanding Tony's mortified look. "It's my things, son. What else?"

Tony looked at Ziva with exasperation. "OK, let's get this "stuff" back into your room."

"Ah, Junior. The one farthest away from your bedroom, please. I don't want to intrude on…your privacy." He flashed a charming smile at Ziva as he said this.

"Dad! You promised you'd behave!" Tony glared at his father.

"What did I do? I am just expressing my pleasure that you and Ziva have finally made it official.

He paused to look around. "I like your place, son. The white mouldings and paneling look very rich. I see you still have your Laurel and Hardy bookends."

He was pointing to the bookshelves that were crammed with DVD's and, despite Tony's claims of never reading, books.

"And that I approved of your taste." His father added, which could mean his home or Ziva.

"Yeah, well 'rich' was definitely the look I was going for." Tony shook his head in disbelief. "Ok, Dad. Ziva and I are "not official" so please do not go around saying things like that tonight. Especially around Gibbs. We would both like to keep our jobs."

Sr. nodded his head in understanding. "Your secret is safe with me, Jr."

"And quit calling me Jr!" Tony grabbed a suitcase and started to take off but was immediately pulled back to where he started. "What do you have in here? It weighs a ton!"

"Just some things I thought you might want." Sr. smiled. Tony gritted his teeth and pulled the single suitcase to the bedroom farthest away from the master.

"I'm going back to work in the kitchen. If you need me, that's where I'll be." Ziva turned around and walked quickly away from the scene in the living room.

She was shaking a little from the brief encounter with Tony's Dad. Even when he was wrong, he was right. He never missed a thing. Tony said he always told him he should go after her.

For someone who couldn't manage to make a happy life for himself, he seemed to be able to see it for others. If only he would be the father Tony so desperately needed, his eccentricities could be overlooked.

Tony dutifully brought led his father into the room. "Seriously, Dad. Why just the one suitcase? Are you only staying for the party?"

Sr. eyed Tony with a glint in his eye. "Trying to get rid of me already?"

Tony sighed and rubbed his face. "Of'course not, Dad. I'm glad you could spend Christmas with me this year."

His dad sat on the bed. "Well, some of it is obviously my clothes and things. I figured I could go Christmas shopping while I was here. No sense in paying extra airline fees if you don't have to. There are, after all, two more shopping days until Christmas." He got up.

"But I do have something I want to give you now. And it's not a Christmas present." He smiled when he saw Tony about to interrupt.

Sr. shook his head. "No. It's been too long already." He went to his suitcase and pulled out a large leather multi-level box. It had an intricate pattern etched on it and was old. Not old as in antique, but certainly at least thirty to forty years old.

Tony's father handed it to him silently. Tony took the heavy box from his father. "What's this, Dad?"

"It was your mother's jewelry box." Tony's Dad answered, no emotion betrayed in his voice.

"Mom's jewelry…" Tony didn't know how much more he could take of his childhood rearing its head every time he turned around.

"I should have given this to you years ago." Sr. continued, oblivious to Tony's agitated state. "I supposed I was worried you would hand the pieces out to every pretty girl you met." He touched Tony's arm to get his attention.

"Anthony, this jewelry is for the 'one,' not some one-night stand. Your mother and I had our problems, but she was the love of my life. These mementoes, some of which are quite exquisite and expensive, need to be given to the love of _your _life." He not so subtly cocked his head toward the kitchen.

"Dad, I don't do 'one-night stands anymore. I haven't for a long time."

"Because of your relationship with Ziva, I would assume. I would imagine she would be quite irritated with you if you continued seeing other woman while having a relationship with her."

Despite himself, Tony had to chuckle. He could well imagine Ziva's wrath if he ever cheated on her, and they were not even technically dating yet.

"Ok, Dad. You need to listen to me and really hear what I am saying. Ziva and I are very close friends. But we have not even been on a real "official" date, so I think you can stop counting on grandchildren any time soon."

Sr. looked notably deflated. "Oh. I was so hoping…well, if she is still available when you finally get some sense in that thick head of yours, maybe things will be the way they should be."

Tony couldn't resist. "Why are you so convinced that Ziva and I belong together, Dad?"

"You're kidding, right? The way you look at each other, your body language, the sexual tension…? I don't know what it feels like to know that I would give my life for someone, but I see that in each of you, toward each other. I watch you two talk without saying words. Only people totally in tune with each other can do that, son."

Tony didn't comment on the fact that his Dad had just admitted he wouldn't give his own life for his son's.

"Ok, that's enough." Tony didn't want to hear anymore. He was disturbed at how accurate his father was about him and Ziva. He hardly ever saw them together. If _he_ could pick that up so quickly, what did the _team_ really see?

He let his Dad get settled and went back out and joined Ziva in the kitchen.

She had her back to him and was stirring something on the stove. He came up behind her and pressed his head against her neck. "How am I going to get through this tonight?" His voice sounded so plaintive and worried that she chuckled and turned around to face him.

"What did you tell him?" She asked, looking into his eyes.

"I told him not to plan on any grandchildren just yet since we hadn't even been on a date…technically."

Ziva's eyes widen at the "grandchildren" comment, but nodded approvingly. "How did he take it?"

Tony looked guilty. "He was genuinely sad. I felt like I disappointed him, yet again."

Ziva peeked around the corner then gave Tony a quick kiss on the lips. "You have not disappointed anyone, Tony. Remember that."

Tony placed a hand lightly on her waist. "I just hope I can keep it together while he is here. I'm going to count on you to have my back."

Ziva place her arms loosely around his shoulders. "I will always have your back, Tony." He planted a quick kiss, and then reluctantly separated from this woman he most desperately wanted to touch.

Tony's Dad decided to take a nap, so Tony suggested the same to Ziva. She looked at him like he was crazy.

"Look." He said reasonably. "You have been slaving away here in the kitchen for hours. I want you to have fun tonight and stay awake past 8 p.m."

Ziva chuckled at that. "I am tired, and if I was at home, I would take a power nap."

"Good." Tony was glad she seemed willing to take him up on his advice. "You already have your things you're wearing tonight here. Go take your 'power nap.' then take a shower and get ready before everyone else shows up." Tony smiled.

"No, take my bed; it's more comfortable and private. I promise not to give in to my urge to take a nap with you, which I would if my Dad wasn't here." Tony grinned playfully.

Ziva touched his cheek and gave him a quick kiss. "Thank you, Tony." She headed toward his bedroom, amused that Tony was trailing behind her.

"Yes?" She looked at him. Tony chuckled. "I thought you might be more comfortable wearing one of my tee-shirts, if you want to." He pulled open a drawer and pulled out a couple of comfy shirts that would swim on Ziva.

"Thank you, Tony. I will wear this one." She took his OSU Football jersey. "Do not let me sleep more than two hours and I would actually prefer an hour and a half."

"Ok." Tony answered. He turned back as he was closing the door. "Sweet dreams." Ziva smiled and began to change her clothes.

Tony headed back out into his living room and sat on the sofa. He was a little confused. His feelings were all over the place right now. On one hand, he was thrilled that he and Ziva seemed to be on the same page regarding moving their friendship more into the relationship arena.

He still didn't understand his Dad's obsession with him and Ziva being together. The guy didn't have a great track record, so he was not someone Tony would _ever_ go to for advice on love.

Yet he was convinced that they belonged together, and Tony was finding it getting harder and harder to disagree with that sentiment.

He was also confused by this sudden re-emergence of things from his childhood. He didn't understand why his Dad was bringing all of these old boxes and mementoes to him. He had a sudden concern that maybe his Dad was ill, and that he was trying tie up "loose ends."

Tony shook that thought from his head. He was grateful for finding his camera and the pictures, despite the painful memories it had caused to resurface.

And now his Mother's jewelry box. What was up with that? Tony stared at it for several minutes. Hesitantly, he opened the leather case.

He stared for a while at the contents. One by one, he picked up necklaces and bracelets and rings and earrings. Some of them he remembered, some he had no memory of at all.

He held up her delicate gold necklace with her cross hanging from it and glanced over at his piano. He smiled ruefully.

He got that piano because Ziva talked him into taking it up again. The fact that his original music teacher had been Wendy; the same Wendy he proposed to and then got dumped by; who had kept him away from the instrument for years. He finally told Ziva that whole story and of'course she told him he was silly to give up something he loved because of the actions of another person.

He looked at the items that he had placed on top of the stand-up piano: in addition to the newly placed Christmas decorations was his set of bobble-head Beatles; his miniature Magnum P.I Ferrari; a picture or two, and a small shadow box.

Inside the shadow box was a broken golden necklace, with the Star of David still attached. The charm was stained with dried blood. Inside the box was also some sand and a bullet casing. To those who didn't know, this would look rather macabre and not appropriate living room decoration.

To him, it represented what he and Ziva had been through, to get her back safely, no matter the cost. Tony could not take sole credit for her rescue, but after the camp had been secured and Ziva was being examined, Tony realized her necklace was missing.

Taking a hunch, he ran back into the room they had been held. He swept the area with his flashlight and was rewarded with a flash of gold.

Tony bent down and dug the broken necklace that had been ripped from her neck out of the dirt floor. Saleem's body was still being photographed and processed. Looking around, he saw multiple shell casings. Even though none of them came from the bullet that killed that monster, he didn't think Gibbs would give him the one that had.

After Ziva had been admitted to the hospital and improved enough to be able to actually talk, Tony had taken her necklace to her. She refused to take it, saying it was broken, like she was. She closed Tony's hand around it.

"You keep it, as a reminder of what is important and what is not. You saved my life, Tony. I cannot repay you for that, but I can give you something to remind you of my gratitude."

Tony had argued that the "team" had rescued her and not just him, but she would not take it back. So Tony put it safely in one of his pouches and took it home.

He would look at it often, especially when things were still strained between them. After they had finally talked, Tony knew he needed to do something with it, but he had no idea what. Abby gave him the idea of the shadow box and helped him put it together.

The first time Ziva saw it on the piano, she paled. She was one who thought it was not appropriate to display, but Tony told her he kept it there to remind him every time he played the piano how close he came to losing her.

And besides; she was the one who gave him back his love of the piano. She accepted his explanation without comment, but he could tell she was moved by it.

He heard some rustling and closed the jewelry box. His Dad came out from the bedroom, looing refreshed.

"Where's Ziva?" He asked Tony.

"She's taking a nap, Dad. She'll be up soon." Tony said absently, like it was perfectly normal for Ziva to be taking a nap at his house.

As soon as he said it, he knew he had set himself up for more interrogation. Tony's Dad chuckled. "In your bed, I suppose."

"Yes, Dad; because she her snores will wake the dead and I wanted you to sleep." Tony replied.

Sr. chuckled. "How do you stand it?" Tony stood up. "Ok, Dad. Sit down." His Dad looked surprised but complied.

"Do you want to know what's really going on with Ziva and me?"

At this, his Dad got a huge grin on his face.

"Absolutely!" Tony looked up at his ceiling, begging for patience. "Ok, Ziva and I have known each other for about eight years now. Our relationship can best be described as being marked by incredible highs and horrible lows.

We are working on reducing the lows so that they are more in sync with the highs. We don't have an end game; we just want a better friendship than we have. If other things come out of this, and we _are_ open to it; then we'll deal with it as it comes."

DiNozzo, Sr. considered what Tony said. "Well, they always say the best relationships start first as friendships. What precipitated this…need…to improve your 'friendship', if I may ask?"

"The bombing, Dad." Tony said like it should have been obvious. "We could have all been killed. Makes you put things in perspective."

As if on cue, Ziva came out. Tony had heard the shower and knew she was up, but didn't feel the need to let his father know that. She was still wearing Tony's jersey and the jeans she had on previously.

"Feel better?" Tony asked, smiling.

"Yes, thank you. I did not realize how tired I was. And you, Anthony? Did you enjoy your nap as well?"

"Yes, I did, my dear. Please tell me you are not wearing that for the party tonight."

Ziva smiled. "No, I have a special 'party dress' that I will put on shortly. I just wanted to check on the food before I got ready." She looked at Tony.

"Speaking of getting ready, I am sure that Abby and McGee will be arriving shortly, so you may want to get ready yourself."

Sr. chuckled. Tony looked at his Dad, questioning. "Just like a wife. I'm only saying…" Tony shook his head. "Ok, I'm off to take a shower. Be right back."

Two hours later, the party was in full swing. As Ziva had predicted, Abby and McGee showed up while Tony was still in the shower. She left them to entertain Tony's father while she went to change into her party wear.

Tony was surprised but pleased to see Ziva in various stages of undress when he came out of the shower, but quickly got over his excitement when she told him Abby and McGee had arrived.

Ziva got dressed quicker than any woman Tony had ever known, and left him to finish up. But before she left the room, he pulled her close so he could show her how much he appreciated how gorgeous she looked.

She was wearing a short red sequined dress, with a halter top that showed off her bare, toned shoulders and upper arms.

By the time Tony got out, he could hear his Dad telling everyone some outrageous story. He rolled his eyes and headed into the kitchen to see what he could do.

Ziva had the turkey out. She handed him the carving knife and fork. "You can start carving the turkey, unless you would prefer to enjoy your father and his stories."

"No-o-o-o…I am quite happy right here, thank you very much." Tony replied. Ziva chuckled. "You look very nice. Hmmm, a red tie?"

Tony grinned. "What can I say? I wanted it to look like we planned our clothes together to match."

Ziva shook her head. "Your father seems in good spirits." She noted.

"He has an audience."

"Tony! Ziva! There you are! Ziva, wow! What a great dress, you look yummy too, Tony." All the while saying this, Abby delivered bone-crushing hugs to her friends.

"You look quite lovely yourself, Abby." Tony said. Ziva smiled. "Yes you do. Is that new? I have not seen it before."

Abby grinned. "Yes…" Then she took off in search of McGee. Tony watched her skip off.

"Hey, Ziva. Do you think…?"

"Yes." Ziva answered before Tony could finish the question.

Tony's eyes widened. "Do you have actual proof, or is this just a…woman's intuition?"

Ziva gave Tony that "I know so much more than you do" smile.

Tony dropped his jaw. "So you _do_ know something!"

"Time and place, Tony. And this is not either." Ziva poked him in the stomach.

Tony grabbed her hand as she poked him. Her eyes widened. "Be careful, Tony." She warned.

"I will." He kissed her hand then got to work carving up the turkey.

The piano could be heard, Jimmy was playing Christmas Carols and Abby, Breena, Ducky and Tim were singing along.

Gibbs had finally showed up, handing Tony a bottle of very good bourbon. "Thanks, Boss. I got you a paper napkin."

Gibbs smirked. "It's not a gift exchange, DiNozzo. Anyone can drink it."

They had all decided that they were not going to exchange gifts, even gag gifts. Everyone brought something to add to the table, or the bar; and that was enough. Besides, Christmas would not be for another three days, so they would all see each other again before the actual holiday.

_**Thanks for the great responses. Party continues and will probably wind up in the next Chapter. I know from the spoilers, that it looks like Sr. arrives at least a day or two vbefore Christmas, hard to tell how many. I don't see any indication that Tony is hosting a party for the team, so I threw that it. It could well be that all we see of Tony's apartment are the scenes between him and Sr. But what is in that little gift Tony is holding? I will give my take next chapter.**_


	31. Chapter 31

_**Gibbs had finally showed up, handing Tony a bottle of very good bourbon. "Thanks, Boss. I got you a paper napkin."**_

_**Gibbs smirked. "It's not a gift exchange, DiNozzo. Anyone can drink it." **_

_**They had all decided that they were not going to exchange gifts, even gag gifts. Everyone brought something to add to the table, or the bar; and that was enough. **_

_**Besides, Christmas would not be for another three days, so they would all see each other again before the actual holiday. **_

**Usual denials: Hi, I'm darstar and I am in denial. I do not own CBS, NCIS or its Characters.**

Vignette Ten- "You Better Watch Out" – Part Three

"Hey, Tony? Where's Magnum?" Tim asked.

Tony smiled. "Next door. Too many people for the little thing; would give him a heart attack." Ziva snorted next to him.

"Hey, Magnum is very sensitive."

"Well, then I am assuming he is not with…the screamers?" Ziva asked this question. Tony tried to not look shocked at Ziva's remark.

"Tony, sensitive is not the first word that comes to mind when I think of him. The last time I was here, he tried to eat my shoe." Tim countered.

Tony look insulted. "Well, maybe he didn't like that it smelled like your dog. Jethro is bigger than him after all."

The team had been shocked when they found out that Tony actually had a pet. When they found out it was a little dog; that was too much. He was a mutt, so they weren't quite sure what Magnum was.

A little bit Terrier, a little bit beagle, and perhaps cocker spaniel. Altogether, Magnum was hard to describe, multi-colored and adorable and a total opposite of the stud he was named after.

But he did get skittish with loud noises like fireworks and thunder and lightning. And he howled when Tony played the piano.

Tony explained that he was singing with him, but everyone else guessed that Magnum didn't like what he was hearing. But Tony refused to consider that. "Magnum is a bigger Beatles fan than I am, if that is possible."

It was strange to see Tony all googly over this little mutt, but Ziva found it endearing. She couldn't have pets in her apartment, and Magnum really liked her, much to her delight.

And of'course, Abby was his biggest fan. "Well, if you ever decide that Magnum needs a brother or sister, you know where to go." Abby took every opportunity to promote Kyle's work with homeless animals.

Tony shook his head. "With our schedule? I'm surprised _any_ of us have pets."

"I love this picture!" Jimmy was holding up a framed photo. Tony grabbed it before the others could really get a good look at it.

"Glad you like it. It's a good picture of you, Palmer."

The picture was actually of Palmer, Tony and Ziva. They were all sitting on the piano bench, all playing the piano at the same time.

Tony couldn't remember who took the photo and from his expression in the picture, it was clear he didn't know he was being photographed.

Palmer was looking up at the picture-taker, smiling wide, his fingers on the piano keys.

Ziva was sitting between them. Tony had snaked his arm around her waist. Their arms were all intertwined with each other as their fingers were also on the keys.

The difference was that they were looking at each other, not the photographer and the expression on Tony's face; Ziva's face was only showing three-quarters as she was turned away from the camera, though you could see that she was smiling.

Tony was looking at Ziva like she was the love of his life. Tony was stunned when he saw the photo, not realizing they were being photographed and had not shown it to anyone.

After a while, he got over the content and appreciated that it really was a nice photo and went ahead and framed it. He kind of hid it around some books, and no one had ever noticed it, until now.

Ziva noticed he put the picture in his desk drawer and made a mental note to ask about it later.

Tony was relieved no one asked about it. He was also relieved his father appeared to be behaving himself. Oh, he attached himself to Abby and/or Ziva, depending on who was available at the moment.

He was nervous when he saw him and Gibbs in deep conversation over by the Christmas tree, each with a high ball in hand.

"I do not think you need to worry about what they are talking about, Tony." Ziva whispered from behind him. He had felt her presence before she spoke, something he had never been able to do…before.

"I hope you're right. I'm having a pretty good time and I don't want anything to ruin it."

Ziva patted his arm. "It is a wonderful party, Tony." He turned to her and smiled. "Thanks to you. Making all of that wonderful food."

He wanted so badly to kiss her right then, but not with the entire team all within three feet of them.

"Mistletoe!" Abby squealed.

Tony looked horrified, and then shot daggers at his Dad. Sr. gave his son his biggest DiNozzo grin and raised his glass.

"Ok! I'm first!" Abby stood under the mistletoe, waiting. Tim jumped up like he was shot out of a cannon. Abby gave him a knowing smile.

"Keep it G-rated, McGee." Tony called out. Tim momentarily blushed, but continued his walk toward Abby. He barely reached her when Abby opened up her arms and pulled him into an embrace.

She gave him a big kiss, which he had no trouble returning. Tony started clapping and that broke up the kiss. Tony peered over to glance at Gibbs reaction, but he was only shaking his head, and slightly smiling.

So apparently, mistletoe kisses were not considered off limits. Ducky kissed Abby next, a chaste peck on the cheek. Jimmy gave her a big hug and kissed her on the cheek.

Tony was shocked to see Gibbs lined up next. He pulled Abby into a fatherly hug and kissed the side of her head and whispered something in her ear, which made her smile.

Next was Tony's dad. Tony tried to give Abby hand signals: no lips, no lips…too late. Tony's Dad gave Abby a kiss full on the lips.

Tony winced and covered his eyes, barely peeking through his open fingers. Abby's eyes were wide open with shock and amusement, Tim looked shocked and somewhat pissed.

Ziva was chuckling next to Tony. "I am telling you. Do not let him anywhere near your mouth!" Tony hissed at her.

"Ok, Ziva your turn." Abby grabbed Ziva's hand and pulled her under the mistletoe. She looked up at the small hanging bunch of spiky dark green leaves and white berries.

When she looked back down, Tim was there first. He gave her a big hug and kissed her on the cheek. This continued through Jimmy and Ducky.

Gibbs walked up to Ziva and repeated the same process with Abby. Whatever he whispered in her ear made her chuckle. That left Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. and Jr.

Tony held out his hand, indicating his father should go first. He caught his father's eyes and glared at him. Sr. just smiled. "Ziva…" He walked toward her with his arms stretched out to embrace her.

"_I can't watch."_ Tony thought to himself. _"I have to watch."_

Ziva accepted his hug. When he leaned in to kiss her, she placed her hands on his face, as if caressing him. She then kissed him on both cheeks and looked at him. He smiled, recognizing she was calling the shots on this.

He chuckled and placed his hands on her face and kissed her on both cheeks. "Let him in, Ziva. He is crazy about you." He whispered in her ear.

Ziva's eyes widened in surprise, that Tony's Dad would think she was the one who was preventing them from getting together.

She wasn't sure that was the case. She had given Tony signals for years that he was either too thick to get, or chose to ignore.

But now, after all they had been through, they were making an effort, and maybe they would be together. It would not certainly be through lack of trying. By the time her musings had finished, Tony was standing in front of her.

Her eyes were large, and Tony thought they looked emotional. _"What in the hell did Dad say to her?"_ Tony silently cursed his Dad.

Ziva recognized Tony was confused and she shook her head. She put on a beautiful smile. Tony slid his hand around her waist, with the ease that showed of practice.

Gibbs watched his two agents. He knew things had changed between them, since the bombing. He thought Tony was starting to have feelings for Ziva, but she did not seem to be returning them.

The whole "Big Three" thing a few weeks back. Tony acting all excited and interested if Ziva was in a full-fledged romance, but Gibbs knew he was just pretending to be happy about it

That worried him; that was why he had Rule #12. But even so, neither had shown any difference in their work ethic or their ability to do their job. So he didn't interfere. He was interested to see how this "staged" kiss was going to play out.

Ziva allowed Tony to pull her close to him, so that their bodies were almost molded together. McGee frowned and looked at Abby, whose eyes were almost as wide as when Tony's father had kissed her, but she also had a huge grin on her face.

McGee thought about Tony and Ziva in the bullpen, during that missing girl case. He had made reference to "the post elevator us." Was he saying more than McGee had thought?

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a wide smile on Tony's father's face, so whatever was playing out in front of them had his full approval.

Half afraid, he looked around nonchalantly to see if he could see Gibbs. His expression was more perplexing than what Tony and Ziva were doing.

He didn't look upset or mad; he looked…apprehensive? Expectant? Hopeful? Nah…that made no sense. Tim turned back to the couple, who were taking their time.

They were looking at each other, clearing saying something that no one else in the room was privy to. Finally, Gibbs couldn't stand it anymore.

"Are you going to stare at each other all night? Kiss the woman, DiNozzo before I die of old age."

Tony didn't even flinch, even though the others in the room chuckled, glad that Gibbs had broken the tension. Tony leaned in and Ziva met him halfway.

It was one of the sweetest kisses yet. Not overly passionate, but not chaste. It was long enough to show that it was more than a mistletoe kiss, but not indecently long.

They finally broke apart. "That wasn't too hard, now was it?" Ziva whispered. Tony grinned at Ziva.

They turned around and saw everyone staring at them, all of them with big grins on their faces. Tony looked at Gibbs. Gibbs looked at Tony, and then gave one of his "what are you going to do?" looks.

Tony didn't realize their arms were still around each other's waists. Sr. just started chuckling and poured himself another scotch. "Gibbs, can I refresh your drink?"

Gibbs looked at his agents, standing together as one and totally oblivious to the fact that everyone could see it. "You know, I think that would be a good idea."

The party finally thinned out and McGee was able to get Abby to leave around midnight. Tony flopped on the sofa.

"Tired?" Ziva smiled, sitting next to him. "I never realized how exhausting it was to be an entertaining host all night. Remind me to never run for public office." Tony mumbled.

Ziva laughed at that. "Well, I think you did an excellent job. It was a lovely party, Tony."

"Again, thanks to you. You were, you know, the official hostess tonight." Tony looked at her. Ziva looked into his eyes.

"What did my father say to you?" Tony asked.

Ziva looked surprised. "When?"

"When? When he was about to tongue you and you put the kibosh on that. He whispered something to you."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh. It wasn't anything bad, was it?"

"Some other time, Tony." Ziva said.

Tony took her hand. "No, now. If you make me wait, I will stress and fester and then explode and it will not be a pretty sight. You wouldn't want to be responsible for that, would you?"

Ziva looked at Tony in shock. She then lied back against the sofa chuckling. "Surely that would never happen." She looked at Tony.

"Perhaps not, but are you willing to take that risk?" Tony was serious.

"Ok, he said something to me that…surprised me. That is all."

"Oh, God he didn't say he was in love with you, did he?"

"Tony, no! God, no…where do you come up with these ideas of yours?" She took a deep breath. "I know you have discussed our relationship, or lack of relationship; with your father. Did you indicate to him that I was the one who was not interested or was afraid to make the commitment?"

Tony sat up straight at that. "What exactly did he say?" It was not a request.

Ziva was uncomfortable. "He said 'Let him in, Ziva. He is crazy about you.' It was…unexpected."

"And unnecessary. I never said anything like that to him, I mean about you being the one holding back."

"I think if anyone is guilty of holding back, it's been me. You've let me know several times that you were interested in more than…friendship. I was afraid, Ziva. That I would screw it up, like every other relationship I had."

"I thought we would be better as just friends. But I don't think that anymore, Ziva. I already told you this. Don't you believe me?"

"Of'course I believe you. I just did not want your father to be upset with me for keeping happiness from his son."

"I'm going to kill him. Listen. My father thinks he is being helpful, like we need his help. Just smile at him, thank him and totally ignore what he has to say."

Ziva smiled wide at that and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I need to head home."

"I don't want you to leave." Tony said.

"I don't want to leave, Tony. But I also do not want our first night together in this new phase of our relationship to be two doors from where your father is sleeping."

"It is kind of creepy, isn't it?" Tony admitted. "Ok, I am going to let you drive yourself home. You are going to drive the speed limit…" He held up his hand. "First of all, ours was not the only party tonight and there are a lot of drunks on the road. On second thought, you're staying here."

"Tony…"

"No, you can have my bed and I will sleep in the other bedroom. I am not going to let you out on the streets with those crazies."

"And are you also going to also keep me from crime scenes and stakeouts because I could get injured?" Ziva asked reasonably.

Tony winced. "That's different. For one thing, you usually have a gun or knife in your hand and we are talking about you and being one on one with a person; not a one ton piece of metal speeding at you at eighty miles an hour."

"Point taken. Alright, because you give a convincing argument I will stay."

Tony sighed in relief. He kept to his word and slept in the second bedroom, although he occasionally got up to look in on her to make sure she was sleeping ok.

He checked on his Dad as well. Satisfied, he finally fell asleep.

Ziva woke him up Sunday morning. "Huh, wha…hi Ziva." Tony smiled.

"Good morning, Tony." She smiled back. "I am leaving now before your father wakes up so we do not have to explain why I am here."

Tony sighed. "Ok, let me walk you to the door." Ziva put her hand on his chest and kissed him. "No, go back to sleep, my Tony. I will talk to you later."

Tony smiled and closed his eyes. "Ok…my Ziva."

The next two days were hectic for Tony. He not only had to deal with his father, who everyday added to the Christmas decorations in Tony's apartment, but they were working a case that included having to work with the Secret Service, a dead Navy Lt. Commander and a corporate bigwig.

He and Ziva did not have much alone time except when they were driving to talk to a witness, or when they had a chance to grab a bite but they did decide that Ziva would come to his place Christmas Eve and spend the night and share Christmas day with him and his Dad.

They had a "no gifts" rule, but Tony was breaking it this year and he knew his father got her something, so he shared that part at least with Ziva so she wouldn't be taken by surprise.

Abby had tried to talk Ziva into going to midnight Mass with her Christmas Eve, but she declined, without saying why. She did ask Abby for advice for a gift for Tony's Dad.

Abby got right to the point. "Why are you getting Tony's Dad a Christmas gift?"

Ziva smiled. "Because Tony let me know that he got me one. It is polite yes, to reciprocate?"

"So…what are you getting Tony?" Abby asked.

Ziva just looked at Abby. "What am I getting…Tony?"

"Come on, Ziva! You can't possibly believe you two are fooling anyone, can you? Tony even admitted in front of McGee that there was a new 'post elevator' you. And that mistletoe kiss…"

"Ok, Abby! You have made your…point. Tony and I are trying to see if we can make a relationship work. We have only just decided this, so do not go all crazy and excited. It is not like we have been together for years and about to get married or anything."

Abby beamed and put her hands on Ziva's shoulders. "Ziva, you and Tony _have_ been a couple for years; you two were the only ones who couldn't see it.

"So what are you getting Tony?"

Ziva sighed. "It is very hard to buy for Tony, now that our relationship is undefined. We are more than friends, but we have not acted on it yet. So do I get him a boring tie that I would buy for the mailman? He owns every DVD he wants. He buys them the minute they are available."

Ziva paused. "But I did find some gifts for him that I hope he will like, as something special between us. I will know Christmas morning."

Abby's eyes sparkled. "Are you spending Christmas with Tony, then?"

Ziva nodded and accepted Abby's hug. "It is strange for me, to not be alone on Christmas. It was…normal and I did not mind. But I am happy to share this with Tony, and his father."

"Oh, yeah. His father will be there. Good move, by the way, deflecting the lip kiss. Other than it being Tony's Dad, it was ok, but it was like kissing Gibbs' Dad." Abby shuddered.

Ziva chuckled. "Tony made it quite clear that Anthony was to get nowhere near my mouth. I am sorry I did not think to warn you, but you got the mistletoe thing going before I even realized it was there."

Abby ruefully admitted to her misjudgment. They talked some more and Abby gave Ziva some ideas for Tony's Dad.

**Christmas Eve- 2012**

Tony was putting more presents under the tree. "Dad? Why are you buying all these gifts? And how are you affording this?" Tony's face was red, the heat was turned up too high and he still had his jacket on from walking in the door.

He gently pulled a small gift out of his pocket and looked at it. It was wrapped in silver paper and was tied with a red bow.

He thought about the gift and what it meant. He hoped Ziva liked it. He had bought it before they finally got their act together, but in a way it was more appropriate now than when he got it.

He gently put it under the tree and sighed. Just then the doorbell rang. Tony smiled and walked over to let Ziva in.

"Whoa, you have too much stuff here. You should have texted me to come downstairs and help you." Tony grabbed her overnight bag and took a tray of something from her.

"I am fine." She said. She caught his look and smiled, knowing the double meaning of that answer. "Really, Tony. I got everything I needed up here, but thank you for taking those from me."

Tony dropped the tray off on the table and took her bag into his bedroom.

When he came out, she was putting gifts under the tree. He rushed over to help her, because he didn't want her to find her gift from him.

"Somebody did some Christmas shopping. You didn't have to do all this, Ziva. Other than for my Dad, you are gift enough for me."

Ziva placed her hand on Tony's cheek. "That's sweet, and don't ever say that you are gift enough for me. I like presents!"

Tony laughed at that. "Got it!" Tony's Dad came out just then.

"Ziva!" He held out his arms like he hadn't seen her in years. "When Jr. told me you would be spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with us, I was absolutely delighted."

Ziva accepted his cheek kisses. "Thank you, Anthony. I am very happy to be sharing this with you and Tony."

In comparison to the party, the evening was quiet. Ziva had made a delicious casserole, and they had plenty of munch food. As usual, they watch a DVD. Tonight it was "It's a Charlie Brown Christmas."

Ziva had never seen it before, and was confused as to who these characters were, but thought it was quite humorous and loved Snoopy. Magnum was curled up on her lap, snoring.

Sr. came out and handed champagne glasses to Tony and Ziva. He raised his glass. "To family and friends and to the people I love." Tony raised his glass. "Here's to the end of our 'annus horribilus.'" He said in the Queen's voice, and then changed back to his normal voice, "And to wonderful changes that will lead to an equally wonderful future."

Ziva looked at Tony and his father. She had never made a Christmas toast before, and didn't know what would be appropriate, so she just spoke from the heart.

"Here's to two dear people who are sharing this day with me; to forgetting the not so nice things of the past and looking to the much nicer things of the future, a future I have been hoping for, for a long time."

As the clock struck twelve midnight, they all touched their glasses together and drank the champagne. "Hey, look!" Tony exclaimed. "It's snowing!" He turned back to his Dad and Ziva with the excitement of a seven year old.

"This is where I say my goodnights and turn in for the evening. Have fun, you two." Anthony kissed Ziva on the cheek and gave Tony a hug. "Merry Christmas."

Tony looked at Ziva, the challenge in his eyes. "You are so on, DiNozzo." Ziva replied. Grinning, Tony went to get his coat and gloves. While Ziva went back into the bedroom, Tony quickly ducked under the tree and pulled out the small gift. He got it in his pocket before she returned.

He held out his hand. Ziva smiled and took his hand in hers and then they headed outside to play in the snow. Surprisingly, there was already quite a bit of snow on the ground, as it had been falling long before Tony noticed it.

Ziva got the first snowball hit in. "Oh, no fair. I didn't say start."

"Who wrote those rules?" Ziva asked, throwing another snowball.

Tony had several in his hand by then, and let them fly, one after the other. "Triple Play!" He brought his arms down, pumping his fist.

Suddenly, he was tackled and sprawled on his back in the snow. He wiped the snow from Ziva's hair. "I see you are on top of me again."

"Seems to be a habit, yes?" She smiled.

Tony pulled her down to him and kissed her the way he had been wanting to for days. Finally, the cold snow on the ground got too uncomfortable, and Tony and Ziva struggled to their feet.

"Uh, I have something for you. I hope you like it." Ziva looked up to see Tony's hand stretched out, a small box wrapped in silver with a red ribbon. "I couldn't wait until morning."

Ziva looked into Tony's eyes, not sure what he was doing. As if he could read her thoughts, he tried to reassure her. "It's ok, Ziva. I'm not so silly to give an engagement ring to a woman who has never told me she loved me."

Ziva sucked in her breath. "Of'course I have. _You_ just never paid attention." Her gaze on him intensified. "And I would never be so silly as to accept an engagement ring from a man who has never told me that he loved me."

Tony put his arms around her. "Oh, but I have. I guess _you_ weren't paying attention." Their eyes locked. "It's ok, take it. _Please_." Tony handed her the gift.

With shaking fingers, Ziva managed to take off the wrapping and open the small box. Inside was another box, which clearly contained some sort of jewelry, and if the name of the Jeweler etched in gold was where Tony actually got this gift, it was an expensive piece of jewelry.

Ziva knew it wasn't an engagement ring, but she was still nervous. Taking one last reassuring look at Tony, she opened the box. When she saw the contents, she gasped.

It was a golden ring, almost shaped like a wedding band but the top was flat. Clearly engraved in the flat part of the ring were three letters, separated by yellow-colored stones: T~L~C.

"TLC? Tony loves chocolate? Tony likes coffee?" Ziva smiled as she playfully tried to understand this gift. She remembered something. "Tender Loving Care?"

Tony still had his arms around her and laughed at her guesses. "No, Ziva. _Trust. Loyalty. Commitment_. Those are the things that matter to me and to us right now, don't you think?" Tony suddenly looked sheepish.

"If you try real hard, you can find another meaning in those letters, but you have to speak French."

Ziva looked at him, surprised and looked at the ring again.

"Well, 'T' can be many different words." Ziva said.

"Ok, in my mangled French, 'Rely on the Heart' is what I came up with, although I doubt the letter arrangement matches how it is said in French. I just picked the words from each of the letters to get as close to that as I could."

Ziva looked again. "Rely on: 'Tabler?' Rely on also means 'Trust', yes?" Seeing Tony's nod, she quickly figured out the remaining letters. "Le Coeur." She smiled.

"Look inside the ring."

Ziva looked startled. She turned the ring so she could see inside, but the light was poor. Tony brought out his flashlight and shone it inside the ring: _"I will always have your back. Love, Tony"_ The engraving took up most of the inside of the band, as Ziva's ring size was only a 5 ½.

"It is absolutely beautiful, Tony. I will cherish it always." Ziva murmured. Tony took the ring and placed it on her left hand ring finger.

"I guess if we were in High School or College, this might be considered a "Promise" ring. The stones by the way are your birthstone, so it is also a birthstone ring."

"I am overwhelmed, Tony with the amount of thought you took into this gift."

Tony smiled wide, that big DiNozzo grin, knowing he did it right this time. The snow was still gently falling. A sudden thought came into his head. "Dance with me." He said.

"Here? Now? In the snow?" Tony got in position and Ziva automatically started dancing with him. "Remember the 'Big Three'? The Opera; a picnic on the beach; and an impromptu dance in the rain?"

Ziva chuckled. "How could I forget? _Gibbs_ even chastised me over it, told me to cut you some slack."

"Did he? I didn't know that. Anyway, what is snow but frozen water? I just thought we'd have our 'impromptu dance in the rain, or this case, snow. I think it will serve its purpose as marking off one of the Big Three as completed."

Ziva laid her head on Tony's shoulder as they danced, silently in the snow, with only the beating of their hearts providing their rhythm.

Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. got up from bed to get a glass on water and looked out his window. There he saw his son and the love of his life dancing in the snow. "Great move, son! Using the snow to mark off one of the Big Three!"

Tony and Ziva finally got back upstairs, cold and wet. "Go ahead and take a shower. I'll take mine after yours." Tony magnanimously offered.

"Tony you are freezing and will catch pneumonia. You cannot afford that. You go first." They stared each other down, and then smiled, having come to a mutual decision.

It was the quietest shower Tony had ever taken. The shower was on full steam so that it was very loud, but he didn't do his usual singing. Instead, he was too busy kissing Ziva and soaping her body and she soaped him up.

There was so much pent up passion between them that Tony couldn't help it. "I think Tony, Jr. wants to come out to play." He whispered into Ziva's ear. Her eyes got huge and she chuckled that Tony had a nickname for his…it was ridiculous to even think about.

"I think we can be quiet in here." Ziva said softly. Tony looked at her, to make sure he heard her correctly. "Are you sure? It's not exactly tender in the shower, although it certainly is erotic and passionate."

Ziva answered by crushing her lips against his. Tony responded according until he was at he was point of no return. "Last chance." He said roughly.

Ziva braced her back against the shower wall then wrapped one leg around Tony's waist. She then lifted herself onto him and they came together as one.

It was sheer bliss, and the release they both felt was exhilarating and liberating. There was no turning back now.

And there was no question that Tony would be sharing his bed with Ziva tonight, the heck with his father. Ziva snuggled into Tony's arms, content.

"Ziva?"

"Yes, Tony?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Tony."

In the morning, they awoke, wrapped up in each other's arms. Tony woke first, seeing Ziva's serene face next to his. He kissed her lips and she responded, even in her sleep.

"_Damn, maybe I should have gotten her that engagement ring." _ Tony mused. He shook his head. He had made the right choice. That day would come, he knew it now.

Ziva opened her eyes and looked at Tony. "Good morning." She said.

"Good morning. Did you sleep ok?"

Ziva smiled that mysterious smile of hers. "Oh, yes…" She kissed him again.

"Let's get up before Dad starts playing Santa Claus." Tony got up and put on his clothes.

He padded out to the kitchen in his bare feet. He backed up and saw his father sitting at the table, drinking coffee.

"Sleep well, Jr.?" His Dad asked with a twinkle in his eye. Tony just shook his head and went and poured himself a cup of coffee. He made sure he had plenty of tea for Ziva.

She came out about ten minutes later. Tony handed her a cup of tea. "Thank you, Tony. And good morning and Merry Christmas, Anthony."

"Oh, Ziva, the same to you." Once again, he got up and embraced her and kissed her on the cheek. "How about you? Did you sleep well? Tony had the best sleep he's had in months."

Ziva almost choked on her tea. "Yes, thank you; I was quite…comfortable." She looked at Tony, who was rolling his eyes.

"Hey! Looks like Santa came!" Ziva looked confused because the same presents that were under the tree last night were still there and no more had been added. Well, one was missing.

"Just go with it." Tony murmured in her ear.

Sr. played Santa, as predicted, and delighted in doling out the gifts. Ziva was confused by the number of presents that kept going into her pile.

"I thought you bought one gift for each person?" She was worried she did something wrong.

"There are no rules, Ziva. It's more like a family tradition. Tony used to get tons of gifts for Christmas."

"The operative word being 'used to'." Tony looked at his father.

"Well, hard times called for hard measures."

"Are you saying it is no longer 'hard times', Dad?" Tony looked perplexed.

"That's _exactly_ what I am saying. I made my biggest deal yet, son. It was legally binding and it is done. I mean, I am done. I can relax and retire and enjoy whatever life brings me. Hopefully grandchildren." He looked at Ziva with a grin. Ziva blushed.

Tony was stunned. "That's great, Dad. I'm really proud of you." They hugged. Ziva hugged him next. "I am also very happy for you, Anthony. You deserve some good things to come your way."

Christmas is like a wedding: you plan months on the gifts and it's over in three minutes. Anyway, it seemed that way to Ziva.

Tony's Dad had given her a beautiful Hermes scarf, plus some perfume that she knew was very expensive. He also got her some other items that she could not identify immediately, but thanked him nonetheless.

She had heard Tony say that his Dad had complained about the condition of his golf club covers, so she had gotten him a new set that she was also able to get monogrammed on such short notice. She also gave him two sets of golf balls.

Tony had always told Ziva that if she wore that orange and brown striped sweater into work again he would rip it off of her and burn it. He hadn't seen it in a while, but to be safe, he got her a beautiful cashmere multi-colored sweater. The v-neck was low enough for her necklace to be seen, but not indecent.

He also got her a book she had been talking about getting but hadn't gotten around to it yet. There were some other gifts in the bedroom, but she would find out about those later.

Ziva got Tony a new watch. He was stunned and almost refused it. "Ziva, it's too much." She gave him a beautiful stainless steel Movado watch. She had noticed his was missing and she heard from McGee that it had come off his wrist and he ran over it with his car.

"No, it is not. Besides, I bought it from a street vendor." That got a laugh out of Tony. She had one more gift for him and wondered if he should open it here or in the privacy of his bedroom.

Too late, he grabbed the gift and was ripping the paper off. He stared at the present, his eyes huge. He looked at Ziva, who had tears in her eyes, hoping she hadn't dampened the happy spirit of the morning.

Tony pulled her into an embrace. "Thank you." He whispered in her hair. "You are the only person who truly understands me." He held her face and kissed her tenderly, then wiped away a tear from her cheek.

"There's no crying at Christmas!" He smiled.

"Can I see, or is it a private gift?" Sr. asked. Tony hesitated.

"Uh, actually Dad, it is kind of private between Ziva and me if you don't mind."

"Not at all!" Sr. grinned, happy they had secrets to share and be happy about. Tony got up. "I'll just go put this away for now." He pulled Ziva up with him and holding her hand, took her into his bedroom.

He placed the book upright, on his dresser. "There is an inscription inside, but you should read it later." Ziva whispered, her lips close to his face.

As they left the room, their movement caused the first page of The Little Prince to open, revealing the inscription:

"_It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye." My love always, Ziva_

_**There it is; one big huge last chapter to this vignette. I didn't want to drag it out and split it into two chapters in case someone else came up with my ideas and published before I did, haha. There are spoilers for Tony having a pet. I doubt it really is a dog, but I like dogs. Obviously, some things happened that didn't end up on the page, such as what Tony got from his father. Oh well: use your own imagination. Regarding the French, I did what Tony did, looked up French word that matched the letters and came up with something that sounded good. I have no idea if those words together make any sense. Poetic License. Thanks for the great reviews.**_


	32. Chapter 32

_**H**__i! __**Back with a new Vignette.**_ **SPOILER ALERT! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!**_**This is based on interviews in which Ziva will continue to be affected by the loss of her father and the need for revenge; the relationship between Tony and Ziva will continue to change (no actual comment as to where it will end up) and that Tony will come to an emotional crossroads toward the end of the season. This is my take on those words. Disclaimer: I own nothing, except any character I create.**_

Vignette Eleven: "Roads Taken" - Part One

**NCIS- May 2013**

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs strode into the bullpen, his third coffee of the day in his hand and it was only eight a.m. He slowed as he passed by the two empty desks.

He sat at his own and stared again at the empty chairs. He cocked his head, and frowned.

"McGee, you heard from DiNozzo or Ziva?" Gibbs glared at Tim.

Tim looked up and stared at the offending desks, as if by staring hard enough he could conjure up the current objects of Gibbs' attention.

"No, Boss. I guess they're running late." McGee looked back down at his work, not wanting to get tangled up in his co-worker's mess.

"Ya' think? Do you know something, McGee?" Gibbs stood up and stood in front of the Junior Agent's desk, his blue eyes cold.

"What? No, Boss! I haven't seen Tony or Ziva since we left work on Friday. I'll give Tony a call." Tim grabbed his phone and called Tony's cell. They heard a phone ringing, coming from Tony's desk.

"Uh…Boss?" McGee looked confused, and a little pale. Gibbs stared at Tony's desk, frowning. He pulled out his cell.

"Who are you calling, Boss?" McGee asked as Gibbs punched in the numbers.

His question was answered by a phone ringing from Ziva's desk. Gibbs slammed his phone shut and walked over to Ziva's desk and opened the drawer. McGee rushed over to Tony's desk and copied Gibbs' actions.

"Gibbs?" McGee held up Tony's badge, gun, ID and cell phone.

Gibbs looked at McGee with a sinking feeling in his gut. He pulled out the same items from Ziva's desk.

"I don't understand, what does this mean?" McGee looked at Gibbs, concerned.

Gibbs took a deep breath and startled Tim by the look of pain on his face. "What it means, Tim, is that Ziva has gone after Bodnar; without our help."

"But that would mean…" Tim couldn't say "off the grid", "rogue", "illegal" or all of the other adjectives that popped into his numbed brain. "But I don't see what this has to do with Tony."

"He went with her, Tim." Gibbs murmured quietly. He went and sat at his desk, trying to decide what to do first. He looked up at the Mezzanine, toward Vance's office. He would have to tell him, but he believed he owed it to Ziva and Tony to find out as much as he could before he made his report. Coming to a decision, he got up and grabbed his gun.

"McGee, with me." Tim looked startled and grabbed his stuff and ran after Gibbs.

**Two Months Earlier**

Tony sat at this desk, watching Ziva with growing worry. Things had been going pretty well lately. After catching Khan and playing their little cat and bird game with him, the whole team was riding on a high.

Tony and Ziva had a big part in that ruse, and they really needed to blow off steam once they got back to NCIS with Khan. Since it was snowing, Tony suggested they go back to his place to celebrate their great "tag-team role playing", but Ziva had surprised him by suggesting her place instead, since it was closer.

Once they got inside her apartment, Tony grabbed Ziva and swung her around laughing. "That was…awesome! You were amazing; he never knew what hit him."

Ziva was at first taken aback at Tony grabbing her, but his exuberance was intoxicating. She felt great about the outcome as well and it was nice to celebrate for once. She started laughing as well, his excitement and happiness infectious.

When he stopped, his hands were at her waist and her arms around his neck, and they stared at each other for a few moments. "This is nice." Tony finally said. Ziva slid her arms down and placed her hands on his chest.

"Yes, it is…" She murmured, looking at Tony's face. Tony pushed a stray curl behind her ear. She didn't seem to mind, so Tony felt emboldened.

"Ziva…" Tony began, but Ziva placed her fingertip on his lips. He surprised her by kissing it. She trailed her hand across his jawline and did not pull back when he lowered his mouth to hers.

Tony stared at Ziva sitting at her desk, thinking about that night, the beginning of everything they had been denying and ignoring for the past eight years. They were finally on the same page.

They were careful of'course. They kept it out of work, and made sure they were even more efficient if that was possible, anything to keep Gibbs from getting suspicious.

And everything had been going great, so great in fact that Tony was going to talk to Ziva about getting a place together. Neither of their places was large enough for two people.

But in the last two weeks, Ziva had been…different, distant. Tony knew the signs: they were classic "Ziva on a mission" actions, and he was very worried about exactly what her mission was.

There had been chatter recently, possible Intel regarding Bodnar and Ziva had instantly become alert and taken notice. Tony had tried to talk to her about it, but she just waved him off. "I am fine, Tony." There was nothing more worrisome than to hear those words from her.

Tony became so worried, he found himself in Gibbs' basement one late March evening after work. He found his boss working on…something. Tony couldn't quite figure out what it was, but that wasn't why he was there.

"What's on your mind, DiNozzo?" Gibbs continued sanding the wood he was working on.

"It's Ziva, I'm worried about her." Tony began.

Gibbs looked up. He put down his sanding block and walked over to his bench. He blew out a second jar and poured Tony two fingers of bourbon, his own drink already sitting on the table.

"Tell me." Gibbs said.

Tony took a sip and sighed. "I think she is making her own plans to go after Bodnar."

Gibbs sat up straight at that. "Has she said something?"

Tony shook her head. "She's been unusually quiet lately."

"And this is why you're convinced she's planning something?"

Tony looked at Gibbs. "Ziva's been doing really well since, well since January. She's been happy. She's talked about Israel _and_ her father. She seemed to be moving on with her life."

Tony took another sip. "But now, she's withdrawing and just not talking about…anything. It's reminding me of the whole Rivkin thing." Tony shuddered.

If Gibbs was worried before, Tony bringing up Rivkin and how Ziva concealed important information from them made him downright scared.

"Do you think she knows something we don't?" Gibbs eyed his Senior Special Agent, watching his reaction carefully.

Tony shook his head. "I don't think so. But I think all this new stuff that's coming in has brought it back to her that she needs to exact revenge on this man. That's what she wants, Boss. She doesn't want justice. She wants Bodnar to pay for what he did. No, I'm worried she's going to get enough information to draw her own conclusions and take off on her own."

"Shit!" Gibbs took a swallow. "Have you tried to talk to her?"

Tony pointed to himself. "Several times. 'I'm fine, Tony' is all she says." Tony looked disgusted with himself.

Gibbs looked carefully at Tony before he spoke again. He had seen how content Ziva had been the past few months and had his own idea of what was behind it, but didn't comment on his suspicions. "Tony, we didn't have this conversation, but I want you to listen to me carefully."

Tony looked confused, but nodded. "Ok, I'm listening to what you aren't about to say to me."

Gibbs sighed. "I know Ziva has been searching for Bodnar. In fact, Homeland Security knows it as well. She's been labeled a threat to National Security."

"What?" Tony stared at his boss in disbelief. "How do you know this? And why would Homeland think Ziva's a threat?"

Gibbs looked at Tony with pity. "Vance has been called, twice. Ziva has been trying to contact Bodnar. Her internet searches have been monitored. Vance has kept them at bay, but this is getting serious, Tony."

Tony sat down, stunned. "Wouldn't our security clearance keep Homeland off of our backs? I still don't understand why they think Ziva is a threat." Tony was clearly confused and worried.

"She's not using her work computer and clearance, Tony. She's acting like Joe Citizen. And by using certain key words, her internet use has come under surveillance. We need to find out where she is holding up, and warn her. Otherwise, Homeland is taking her in."

"Dammit!" Tony exclaimed. He looked at Gibbs, confused. "Why didn't you say something sooner, Boss? We could have been looking for Ziva."

Gibbs acknowledge the validity of Tony's question. "I'm waiting to hear back from McGee. He's trying to track Ziva down as well. When he gets a hit on her computer, he's going to let me know where she is."

Tony's eyes narrowed. "Let me get this straight: you told McGee to hunt for Ziva's computer and told me nothing?" Tony has incredulous, and a little bit hurt.

Gibbs held up his hand. "When this went down, you weren't in the bullpen. In fact, you had already left. I was going to tell you when there was something to tell, DiNozzo."

Tony nodded slowly, feeling slightly better. Just then, Gibbs' phone rang. "Yeah, McGee, what have you got?" Gibbs looked at Tony.

"Ok, I'll send DiNozzo. Yeah, he's here. Ok." Gibbs hung up. "She's at the Wayfarer Apartments in Woodbridge. Know where that is?" Gibbs eyed Tony.

Tony nodded, frowning. "Yeah, it's a real dump, usually frequented by drug users, prostitutes and squatters." Tony didn't like to think of Ziva being in that setting, but he realized in her years at Mossad she had probably been in much worse.

"That's the one. When you get there, call McGee. He can narrow down your search so you don't have to knock on every door."

"Thanks, Boss." Tony smiled sardonically.

"DiNozzo, you need to keep convince Ziva that she doesn't have to do this on her own. Hell: she can't do it on her own. She's no longer Mossad. You need to remind her she's an American Citizen and an NCIS Special Agent. She can't just take off on her own private mission." Tony nodded grimly, his worry bordering on fear.

"Keep your eye on Ziva, Tony. You cannot let her take off on her own. You need to do whatever it takes to protect her. If she takes off on her own, we may never get her back. You need to make sure we get her back, that you get her back, Tony. You need to take care of her. Promise me, DiNozzo. Promise me you will have her back."

Tony looked really confused, not really sure what Gibbs was telling him to do or not do, but understood his last statement. "I'll always have her back, Boss. I promise."

Gibbs stared at Tony, holding his eyes to make sure he felt assured, and then nodded.

"Ok, Boss. I'm taking off. I'll be in touch." Tony finished his drink and left.

**Tony's Apartment- May 2013**

Gibbs and McGee walked around Tony's apartment. "No sign of a struggle, Boss. Same as Ziva's." Tim looked around the living room.

They had gone to Ziva's apartment first. They didn't find anything out of place, but they didn't find Ziva either. If she had packed a bag and left town, she didn't take much with her, as her closet was full of clothes. But her refrigerator was bare. That told Gibbs that she had left. She didn't want anything to spoil, so she cleaned it out.

Gibbs looked inside Tony's fridge and found it bare as well. Like Ziva, he didn't take many clothes. Gibbs didn't like poking around his Agent's homes, but they had gone off the grid and he needed to know exactly what was going on before he made his report.

"Boss?" McGee interrupted Gibbs' musings.

"Yeah, McGee." Gibbs sounded tired.

"Tony left his laptop. I can look to see, you know…maybe he sent an email to Ziva or maybe…" Tim was clearly uncomfortable looking at Tony's private stuff.

"Do it, McGee. Can you look at his bank records?" Gibbs walked over to where McGee was sitting with the laptop.

"Uh…let me see." McGee began typing and quickly got into Tony's email, since he had it password saved. Tim shook his head, but was happy he didn't have to really hack into his email.

"Let's see. Nothing special on Friday. In fact, nothing since Thursday…" McGee stopped.

"What is it McGee?" Gibbs asked.

Tim looked at Gibbs, startled. "Tony purchased two round-trip train tickets to New York, leaving Friday night at 7 p.m., returning Sunday at 2 p.m."

Gibbs paced and thought about it. "Any other purchases?" He asked.

McGee kept searching. "Yes! Two tickets for the Met Opera for Saturday night. That's it, Boss! Tony went with a woman to NY and took her to the Opera."

Gibbs glared at McGee. "And who do you think that woman was, McGee?"

Tim opened his mouth, but then closed it. "Well, I guess since she's missing too, he took Ziva. But that doesn't make sense, unless Tony was just trying to make Ziva feel better. She's been kind of stressed lately."

"Yeah, I know. Well, clearly they didn't come back on Sunday, at least to their apartments." Gibbs held up his finger. He pulled out his cell phone.

He waited about sixty seconds before his call was answered. "Mr. DiNozzo! Special Agent Gibbs. Yeah, yeah, I know. Listen, have you talked to your son lately?"

Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. smiled in delight at the unexpected call from Agent Gibbs. "Gibbs! What a nice surprise! It's been an eventful weekend. What can I do for you?" He listened to Gibbs' question.

"As a matter of fact, he and Ziva just spent a delightful weekend here with me. Well, they weren't with me the entire time, but they stayed here with me at my place. Isn't he with you now? They left Sunday."

Gibbs nodded at McGee. "No, I guess they missed their train. You didn't happen to see them board the train did you?"

"Sorry, Gibbs. They took a cab from my place. Insisted on it, wouldn't let me see them off. But if they missed the train they should have come back or at least given me a call. Maybe they decided to rent a car and drive back?" Tony's dad did not sound overly concerned.

Gibbs considered that, but thought it unlikely. "You're right, A.D." He lied. "I'll bet that's what they did."

"Well, I don't need to tell you how to do your business, but maybe if you just call him, Tony will tell you exactly where they are." DiNozzo, Sr. added helpfully. Gibbs' silence was enough to wipe the smile off his face.

"Should I be worried, Gibbs?" Tony's dad finally started to get the feeling that all was not as it should be.

"I can't really say, but can you get down to D.C.? I'll make it worth your while." Gibbs said seriously.

"Ok, now you have my attention. Something has happened to Tony and Ziva hasn't it? Am I in danger?" Tony's dad was looking around his apartment as if some assassin might pop out at any moment.

"I'd rather not say any more over the phone. Can you come, please?" Gibbs didn't want to say it, but he actually _was_ concerned about DiNozzo, Sr's. safety; especially if Tony and Ziva were on the hunt for Bodnar. He had no illusions that Ilan Bodnar knew all about Tony from Eli David and whatever dossier they had on him, including information about his father. It was time to take precautions.

"I'll take the first flight out." Sr. answered.

"Good, call and give me the flight info and we will pick you up. I'll talk more with you later." Gibbs hung up.

McGee had been listening to Gibbs' side of the conversation, trying to piece together what was going on. He gathered that Tony and Ziva had seen his father this weekend, which surprised the hell out of him. That smacked of bringing the girlfriend home to meet the parents, although in this case, Ziva already knew Tony's dad and Tim was pretty sure that they were not in a relationship.

"Did you get that?" Gibbs asked.

Tim nodded slowly. "Tony and Ziva saw his father this weekend in New York and now Mr. DiNozzo is flying down to DC?"

"Can you get into Tony's bank records, McGee?" Gibbs turned his attention back to the laptop.

McGee looked startled at the sudden change, but looked at the keyboard. He hunted around on the desktop and found a short-cut to Tony's bank. He was quickly able to get in, as Tony again had his username and password saved. He opened up his accounts, plural. His eyes opened wide.

"What is it, McGee?" Gibbs saw McGee's change in demeanor.

"Boss, Tony cleaned out his account. He took everything." Gibbs looked alarmed at that. His worst fears were realized.

_**Hope you like it. I have a lot in my brain; I just need to organize it into cohesive parts that make sense. Let me know what you think with lots of reviews!**_

_***Addendum: I changed some things to reflect the promo that was finally shown. I think now that Ziva will take her research to Vance and Gibbs and the flight to Berlin will be authorized, but we'll see!**_


	33. Chapter 33

"_**Can you get into Tony's bank records, McGee?" Gibbs turned his attention back to the laptop.**_

_**McGee looked startled at the sudden change, but looked at the keyboard. He hunted around on the desktop and found a short-cut to Tony's bank. He was quickly able to get in, as Tony again had his username and password saved. He opened up his accounts, plural. His eyes opened wide.**_

"_**What is it, McGee?" Gibbs saw McGee's change in demeanor. **_

"_**Boss, Tony cleaned out his account. He took everything." Gibbs looked alarmed at that. His worst fears were realized.**_

Vignette Eleven: "Roads Taken" – Part Two

**Two Months Ago**

Tony headed down I-95S and drove to the apartment building in silence, his brain on overdrive not knowing what he would find. Whatever it was, he wasn't going to take no for an answer any more, and "I'm fine, Tony" was history as far as he was concerned.

"Ok, McGee, I'm here." Tony whispered into his phone as he wandered down a dank and dingy hall. Tony looked around and wrinkled his nose. "Are you sure this is the place?" Tony was wearing a nice suit and shuddered to think of the multitude of germs that were crawling all over the place.

"Don't be such a girl, Tony." Tim sighed in exasperation. "Think of Ziva being in that place."

That shut Tony up. He briefly wondered if she actually slept here, and then decided he didn't want to know. "Ok, McSnoop. Guide me." Tony whispered into this cell, looking from door to door.

"You're almost there, Tony." McGee responded. Tony stopped in front of a door, hearing movement inside.

"I think I found her, McGee." Tony hung up before Tim could respond. Taking a deep breath, Tony knocked lightly. He could hear all noise cease in the apartment. He sensed rather than heard the slow footsteps coming to the door.

The door cracked open slightly, and Tony was stunned to find a gun pointed at his head. "Hi Ziva." Tony said lightly.

Ziva frowned. "Why are you here?" She asked in surprise, still keeping the door mostly closed and not releasing her grip on her weapon.

Tony looked at her knowingly. "You know why I am here, Ziva. Let me in." Ziva stared into his eyes, and then dropped her weapon. She walked away from the door, allowing Tony to let himself in. Whatever he thought he would find when he got here could never prepare him for the truth.

The room itself was dingy, with mildew on the walls, walls covered with photos and newspaper accounts. Big circles were drawn around individuals that were either Bodnar or his associates. A small desk was set up, on which lay a laptop and a now cold cup of coffee. Tony took in the wealth of information Ziva had accumulated. He looked at her, his hands in his pants pockets.

"What are you doing, Ziva? He asked quietly. Ziva stiffened and gave him a look.

"You know what I am doing; otherwise you would not be here spying on me." She spoke sharply.

Tony felt hurt at that. "I'm not spying on you, Ziva. I'm trying to protect you. Do you realize that your actions have caught the attention of Homeland Security? They want to bring you in."

Ziva looked stunned at that. She looked at her bulletin board, crammed with pieces of paper. She clasped her hands tightly, rubbing her left as she always did when stressed.

"You can't stay here, Ziva. It's not safe." Tony tried to reason with her. When he saw her stubborn expression, he sighed. "What have you found?"

Ziva turned the laptop around. A map of Europe was showing, with various cities highlighted: Paris, Madrid, Rome, Hamburg…

"I am the daughter of Eli David. I must avenge his death." She lifted her chin in defiance. "You have to be ok with that, Tony."

"No, Ziva. I do not have to be _ok_ with that. Do you want to know why I don't have to be ok? It's because you are reverting back to your old Mossad ways and shutting me out."

"Tony…" Ziva began.

"No, let me finish and I don't want to hear any more 'I am fines' from you, Ziva. I know you, and I know you are up to something."

Ziva sighed walked over to where he was standing. "So you thought you would come here to talk me out of it?" She said, with a bit of a challenge in her voice.

Tony took his hands out of his pockets and crossed his arms. "If I thought it would work and you would listen to me? Hell yeah. But I know you've made up your mind, so there is only one thing I _can _do."

He took a deep breath. "Let me in. Whatever it is you're planning. I want in. If you're taking off, I'm going with you. No, listen to me…"

Ziva started shaking her head "no".

"Ziva, we have to treat this as an undercover op. You can't just fly all over Europe and the Middle East searching for Ilan Bodnar and not expect your movements to be detected. And you will less likely to be found out if you are traveling with someone. We do this together. We adopt aliases, we change our appearance. It's the only way to succeed and get back in one piece."

He grabbed her face. "I have lost you too many times already: when Vance split up the team, when you stayed in Israel, when I thought you died on that boat, when you almost married CI-Ray. I am _not _losing you again, and if the only way I can make sure you come back is for me to bring you back, then that's what I'm going to do."

Ziva listened, her eyes growing bigger as Tony continued his argument. She had to admit that he was making a lot of sense, and she would be lying to herself if she didn't feel a sense of relief to have her secret out.

"I love you, Ziva. You are not going without me." Tony's word was final.

Ziva looked at Tony, her hands grasping his as they held her face. "Then I guess we better start making some plans. I have many contacts. We can create a whole life that will pass the scrutiny of the best, including Ilan. And Tony, I want to come back. I love you, too."

They touched foreheads. "Ok, the first thing we are going to do is pack this stuff up and get you out of here. No more using that laptop; we need to get Homeland off of your scent." Tony helped Ziva take down the bulletin board.

And so they made their plans. They would leave on a Friday after work, taking the train to New York, and stay at Tony's dad's place. Once in New York, they would change their appearance, and get their new passports and driver's licenses.

After that task was completed, they would rent a car under their new identities and drive to Canada. From there, they would make their way to Europe and begin their hunt.

**NCIS- May 2013**

Gibbs walked into Vance's office, hoping he was doing the right thing. He felt to a certain degree like he was selling Tony and Ziva out, that he was abandoning them.

He knew they were on their own, and it was of their own choosing. He couldn't offer any resources, and making an effort to search for them could endanger their lives. No, his sole purpose was to save their careers _after_ they got back, when they completed their mission.

"They did what?" Vance yelled, as Gibbs explained that two of his Agents were gone.

Gibbs sat quietly and let Vance expel every expletive he had if it made him feel any better.

"Come on, Leon. You knew it was only a matter of time." Gibbs offered.

"Agent David, yes. But DiNozzo taking off with her? I thought he had a better sense of career fulfillment. You know they're on their own, Gibbs. I can't give them any help or resources."

"I know that and they know that, Director. Why else do you think they didn't let us in on their plan? Plausible deniability."

Vance glared at Gibbs. "Are you telling me you had no idea this was going to happen?"

Gibbs shifted in his chair. "This? No. All I knew was that DiNozzo was worried about Ziva and I told him to watch her back."

"Well, he took your words to heart, it would seem." Vance chewed on his toothpick angrily. He sat down.

"Look, I want the Bastard dead as much as Agent David does, but I cannot sanction an assassination by an NCIS Agent. Not on my watch, Gibbs!"

Gibbs nodded. "Understood, Director. I think that's why Tony went with her. To make sure she does it by the book. He wants her to come back, and he knows I expect him to bring her back. The only way that is going to happen is if they follow some rules."

"So you don't think her plan is to kill Bodnar." It was a statement.

"I think _DiNozzo's_ plan is to make sure Ziva _doesn't_ kill Bodnar; that they locate him and then let the authorities know where they can find him, and get him captured. That's what I'm banking on." Gibbs took a deep breath. He needed to convince Vance that while Tony and Ziva were acting as free-agents, they will still need help when they ask for it.

"So we just sit back and wait until we hear from them, is that what you are trying to sell me Gibbs?" Vance asked, looking hard at him.

Gibbs nodded. "I think they will find a way to let us know what Intel they get. The endgame is to capture Bodnar. They don't have to be the ones who put the cuffs on him; at least I'm hoping Ziva is seeing it this way."

"And if she isn't?" Vance said quietly.

"Then they're both screwed." Gibbs admitted.

**One Week Ago**

Tony scratched his head. He had been growing his hair, and had to resort to an assortment of hair products to try to conceal the extra length. Whatever he used today was bugging the Hell out of him.

If anyone noticed the increased length in what he considered to be his thinning hair, no one had said anything. Hair grows at the most a half an inch every month, so it had only grown about an inch, but Tony felt like he had added three inches to his head.

He and Ziva had solidified their plans, at least as far as getting to New York and Montreal. They would take the train from Union Station after work on Friday. Tony had reluctantly called his father, not really wanting him involved, but also realizing it gave them a good cover story.

To add to the "festive nature" of the weekend, Tony would be getting tickets for the Opera. But this was one detail he didn't regret and he and Ziva planned to go. It was their last public hurrah as themselves and they were going to enjoy it to the fullest.

They would take a cab from his dad's place on Sunday, so he wouldn't have any information regarding their actual departure from New York.

Tony looked at Ziva, who looked up at the same time. They both smiled at each other, and Tony wondered how he was going to make it through the week without giving their plan away. As if reading his thoughts, Ziva got up and walked into the Woman's restroom.

After about two minutes, Tony got up and walked in that general direction. He peeked in. "It is clear, Tony." Ziva said.

He walked in and leaned against the wall. "Are you ok, Tony?" Ziva looked concerned.

"I hate lying to Gibbs." He admitted.

Ziva walked up to him and touched his cheek. "I know. I do not like it either. But you are not…changing your mind? You are still coming with me?"

Tony jerked at that. "What? Yes, I'm still going with you. You are _not_ leaving without me, so get that out of your head right now." He growled.

"Oh, I have many things in my head right now, but it has nothing to do with…" Tony kissed her, cutting her off. They touched foreheads.

"I just wish it was Friday already." Tony whispered. "Which is stupid, because we are both probably going to get so fired over this and I really like my job." He looked at her. "But I love you more."

"I love you too, Tony. Just a few more days. Our preparations on this end are almost done. Did you talk to your father?"

Tony nodded. "He's thrilled. 'Glad you finally came to your senses, Jr.'." Tony gave his best impression of his father.

Ziva chuckled. "Well, not all of this weekend will be a lie, yes?" She patted his cheek and left the bathroom. Tony straightened his tie, grinning. He carefully wiped the smile off his face and he followed Ziva out and back to the Bullpen.

**Gibbs' Home- May 2013**

Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. walked into the familiar living room. "Glad to see you took my advice about re-decorating, Gibbs." He said sardonically.

Gibbs smiled at his attempt at humor. "Explain why I am here again?"

"Sit down." Gibbs requested. Sr. looked concerned at that.

"Jr. _is_ in trouble, isn't he? What about Ziva, is she ok?"

Gibbs cocked his head. "Tell me about this weekend."

Sr. smiled. "Well, I have to admit I was surprised when Jr. called, telling me he and Ziva were spending the weekend in New York and wanted to stay with me. Pleasantly surprised, I might add."

Gibbs smiled to himself. Tony's dad had made his feelings clear about what he thought Tony should do regarding Ziva. His smile left his face. Did Tony's dad just reveal that Tony and Ziva…

"Just tell me what happened." Gibbs leaned forward, looking serious.

"Well, they arrived Friday night, took the train into Penn Station. Then they grabbed a cab to my place. We had a late dinner, and then talked for a while. It was nice."

"What did you talk about?" Gibbs asked, knowing in his gut Tony and Ziva would never say anything to his father about their plans.

"Just…what they were doing this weekend. They went to the Met Saturday night. One of the Big Three, Gibbs." Sr. said significantly.

Gibbs had to smile again at that, remembering how agitated Tony had been when he thought Ziva was going to the opera with "someone special."

"Can I say something, Gibbs?" Sr. interrupted his thoughts.

"Yeah, sure." Gibbs looked at him, curious.

"My son thinks the sun rises and sets on you. The last thing he ever wants to do is disappoint you."

Gibbs sat up at that. Could Tony have let something slip? That alarmed Gibbs more than relieved him.

"I could never understand why my son would not make Ziva a part of his life. Then I found out why." Sr. glared at Gibbs.

Understanding dawned on Gibbs. "What gives you the right to tell my son who he can or cannot have a relationship with, Gibbs? Let me tell you something. Anthony's mother was the love of my life. And I would do anything; even go against any rule or logic, to spend just one more day with her."

Gibbs' eyes unwittingly went to the photo over his mantel. He would be lying to himself if he said he wouldn't do the same, to spend one more day with Shannon and Kelly. Sr. followed his gaze.

"You _do_ know what I am talking about, don't you?" He challenged Gibbs.

Gibbs looked at him, but didn't say anything.

Sr. waited, and then nodded, acknowledging that Gibbs wasn't going to comment.

"Tony and Ziva did not come back, after spending the weekend with you. We can't find them. I have an idea what they are doing." Gibbs hedged.

"Well, then maybe you aren't the Bastard I thought you were after all, Gibbs." Sr. smiled.

Gibbs looked shocked at that. "What are you talking about?"

"Jr. asked for his mother's engagement ring this weekend. If they didn't come back, then I am pretty sure they eloped and are on their honeymoon right now." Sr. looked so pleased he was about to pop.

Gibbs was silent. Tony's dad thought he knew, or had figured out, that Tony was going to propose to Ziva. Gibbs thought about the implications of the engagement ring. He knew it would make sense for them to be "married" if they were going undercover; he and Jen had played that part many times. But it never occurred to him they would actually get married.

He quickly figured the ring was probably a prop, but he didn't want to burst DiNozzo, Sr's. bubble. Not yet, anyway.

"Is that what Tony told you? That he and Ziva were going to elope?" Gibbs asked.

Sr. lost his grin. "Well, no. But that would explain everything wouldn't it?"

Gibbs looked down, then back up at Tony's dad. "They are off the grid. There are people who want them dead. I had you come down here to protect you. Whoever is after Tony may go after those closest to him."

Tony's dad looked aghast at that. "Are they safe? How do you know that whoever this person is that wants to hurt my son and Ziva doesn't have them?"

"My gut." Gibbs said. "Look, A.D. I can't tell you everything I know, but you need to trust me on this."

Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. looked like his world had come to an end. "And what am I supposed to do? Hole up in some 'safe house' somewhere?"

Gibbs smiled. "You're already here. Guards will be posted outside."

"For how long?" Sr. demanded.

"For as long as it takes. Until Tony and Ziva surface or until I am convinced that you are not a target. Do you think you can live with that?" Gibbs snapped back.

Sr. looked shocked. "I guess I'll have to." He conceded.

_**Wow, thanks for the great reviews. Sorry for the mix-up with the first posting. Glad you like this story. I am trying not to get ahead of myself too much.**_

_**Addendum: I've changed bits of this story to match the preview that finally showed for "Chasing Ghosts". I think Gibbs and Vance find out what is going on and possibly Gibbs also goes to Berlin with Tony and Ziva, but the rest of the story will have to stand.**_


	34. Chapter 34

_**Gibbs looked down, then back up at Tony's dad. "They are off the grid. There are people who want them dead. I had you come down here to protect you. Whoever is after Tony may go after those closest to him."**_

_**Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. looked like his world had come to an end. "And what am I supposed to do? Hole up in some 'safe house' somewhere?"**_

_**Gibbs smiled. "You're already here. Guards will be posted outside."**_

"_**For how long?" Sr. demanded.**_

"_**For as long as it takes. Until Tony and Ziva surface or until I am convinced that you are not a target. Do you think you can live with that?" Gibbs snapped back.**_

_**Sr. looked shocked. "I guess I'll have to." He conceded.**_

Vignette Eleven: "Roads Taken" – Part Three

**New York- May 2013**

Tony and Ziva caught a cab outside his father's residence and headed across the river into Brooklyn, where they checked into a Days Inn. Tony had contacted an old colleague from the Baltimore PD who was now working undercover in New York.

Through him, they got the name of a person who could provide them with their new passports and driver's licenses. He convinced him it was for undercover, which was essentially true, and knew he would never tell anyone they had contacted him.

Before they could meet with the contact, Tony and Ziva had to make a few changes to their appearance. They went to a local Hair Cuttery and came out looking completely different.

Ziva now had bangs, to hide her widow's peak, and her hair color was closer to a light brown, golden blond, with highlights. Tony's hair was also lightened, with a bit of reddish tint to it. It was styled with an offside part, both sides coming down straight and long. It made him look younger and in his opinion, dumber.

"I look like an idiot." Tony grumbled, messing with his hair in the mirror.

"I do not know. I think you look hot." Ziva purred. Tony looked at her.

"Well, in that case, you didn't think I looked hot before." He was still fussing at the mirror.

"Tony! The point is to not look like ourselves. You could have purple hair and I would still think you are hot. So quit playing with yourself."

Tony looked up and grinned at that. Ziva made a face at him. "You know what I mean."

Tony took in Ziva's new appearance. "Well, the bangs are going to take time getting used to, and the new color. But I like it." Tony touched her hair.

"And I like your facial hair." Ziva stroked Tony's chin. Tony hadn't shaved since Friday morning, so he only had two days growth, but it was enough to give him a rakish look.

Tony rubbed his face. "Yeah, I haven't decided how far I am going with this. I don't like having a full beard. Maybe a moustache and goatee or jawline beard, you know, and the glasses of course: John Lennon during the 'Sgt. Pepper' era." Tony pulled out the round steel rimmed glasses.

Ziva looked at him, not understanding what he was talking about. She checked her watch. "We need to go. Our meeting is in one hour."

"Yeah, ok." Tony looked one last time in the mirror. They grabbed their gear and headed out.

The guy was every bit as shady looking as Tony's friend had said, but they couldn't deny it: his work was beyond scrutiny.

They had their pictures taken, one for their new driver's licenses and one for the passports, both Canadian. Tony's new name was Thomas Paddington, a native of Great Britain, and Ziva was Lisa Scalia, a native of Italy.

They chuckled at their names, "Tommy" and "Lisa". "McGee will be so proud." Tony said as he looked at their new documents back in the hotel room. Naming themselves after their character names in Tim's novels was a stroke of genius.

If they were in a jam and needed help, it would help to let Gibbs know it was really them. Paddington was Tony's mom's maiden name, which McGee would definitely remember, maybe Gibbs.

They planned to rent a car in the morning and drive to Canada, ending up in Montreal. Once they were settled there, Ziva would make her contacts to find out the latest Intel regarding Bodnar. They would stay there as long as it took.

**NCIS**

Gibbs had taken McGee, Abby, Ducky and Jimmy aside and told them what he could about Tony and Ziva, which admittedly wasn't much. The team was shocked that Tony would just take off without saying anything; not quite as shocked about Ziva but only because it was clear Tony knew about it. If she had left without Tony…

Abby was particularly upset. "I can't believe they just left us, Gibbs. Without saying goodbye." She wasn't sure if she was hurt or angry.

"Abbs," Gibbs tried to soothe her. "They've gone under the radar. They couldn't tell any of us, for their safety and for ours." He looked everyone in the eye.

"If any one of you hears from either of them, I don't care how insignificant it seems; you tell me immediately. At some point they are going to need our help. I want to make sure they get it. We may not know it's them, so any emails, letters, calls, texts from anyone you get and you don't know who it is, I want it. Hell I don't care; I want to know if you dream about them."

"McGee," Gibbs turned to his now Senior Field Agent. "I want you to rig up Tony and Ziva's work and personal emails to come to you. I want to know if they get anything. And I want to make sure no one comes around questioning why they aren't responding. Same with their desk phones."

"Jethro, what is the story going out about them? I mean, something has to be said to explain their absence." Ducky asked.

Gibbs rubbed his neck. "I don't like this, but the story we are going with is that DiNozzo was offered a top security level job in New York, and Ziva went with him. So top-secret that so we don't know anything about it. And we all knew they were leaving, but they didn't want to advertise it."

Everyone's eyes bugged out at that. "We're actually telling people that Ziva and Tony…" McGee stuttered.

"Yep." Gibbs replied. "But only if they ask. We are not broadcasting any of this."

"So it won't be in the Gossip column of the NCIS Freedom Flyer?" Jimmy chortled. He looked at the expressions of those around him. "I am so sorry, that wasn't…" Gibbs just glared at him.

"Tony's dad is staying with me, for his safety. If I don't kill him first." He added. "We have notified the FBI, CIA and Homeland Security to keep tabs on his apartment. If someone tries to go after him, we want to catch the guy."

"You really are concerned about their safety then, aren't you Jethro." Ducky murmured.

"Well, yeah Duck. Bodnar meant to kill Ziva, but got spooked. He wants to hurt Ziva. I am sure he knows about Tony through Eli David."

"This means they know about his father. What better way to hurt Ziva than to hurt the ones she care about? Including us, I suppose?" Ducky added.

"The good news is that Bodnar should not be able to get into the US without alerting someone. But he won't come after DiNozzo, Sr. or us himself." Gibbs said.

"Yes, of'course. He will send the hired help, like he did before."

Gibbs nodded. "With this increased chatter about Bodnar, it may be a diversion to focus our attention outside our own backyard. Keep your eyes and ears open."

Abby looked pale. "Should I be scared, Gibbs? Can I stay with you?"

Gibbs kissed her temple. "I won't let anything happen to you, Abbs."

"How can you say that? Tony and Ziva disappeared and you don't really know what happened to them. They could be dead, or…or…"

"Abby! They are not dead. They've been planning this for a while. And I can't tell you what I know, again for your safety and for theirs."

Abby leaned against McGee and nodded. "I'll take care of you, Abby." Tim promised.

**Montreal, Canada**

Tony and Ziva arrived in Montreal without difficulty. The first thing they did was find an apartment to stay in. They weren't sure how long they would be there, so they thought they might as well be comfortable.

They rented a furnished apartment travelling business executive use for long-term travel. This gave them a fully equipped kitchen and laundry facilities, as well as linens and kitchen utensils.

The second thing they did was find a Justice of the Peace. They decided that their alternate selves should really be married, so Thomas Paddington and Lisa Scalia got married on the 26th day of May, 2013.

They had picked out simple gold bands, so they were now wearing their new jewelry, including the engagement ring that had belonged to Tony's mother. Ziva had at first not wanted to take it, for fear of losing it. But Tony convinced her that it would look silly for her not to have a diamond ring, a _real_ diamond ring, so she gave in.

Ziva had left her Star of David necklace at home, so Tony bought her a new Crucifix Necklace, in honor of their "Catholic" faith. Ziva accepted the gift graciously, knowing Tony had been raised Catholic, although he did not practice. He wore one as well, although he kept it hidden under his shirt.

They settled into their "home" and got the lay of the land, making sure they had not been followed or compromised in any way. Once they were convinced they were clear, Ziva started making some inquiries.

They had purchased quite a few burn phones. One call, one phone. They weren't taking any chances. If they wanted to use the internet, they went to the public libraries. They created a new email account for themselves, using Hotmail.

**NCIS- June 2013**

While Gibbs was up in Vance's office, Tim got an email sent to Ziva's home computer. It was in Hebrew, so he contacted one of the Analysts to translate. He waited until Gibbs came down before he showed it to anyone.

When Gibbs finally came back, he looked grim. "Everything ok, Boss?" McGee asked nervously.

"An attempt was made on Tony's dad last night." He said quietly. Tim looked startled.

"Here?" He asked, confused.

"No, McGee, in New York. The good news is we have the guy. So maybe we'll get some decent Intel on Bodnar. What's that?" Gibbs pointed to the paper in McGee's hand.

"An email, Boss. Sent to Ziva on her home computer. It's in Hebrew." He added unnecessarily.

"I can see that, McGee. I'm guessing that's why Berman is here?" Gibbs looked pointedly at the Analyst.

"Uh, yeah. Here." He gave the email to Gibbs and they went into a conference room. Once the door was closed, Gibbs looked at Berman. "This is 'need to know' and you don't. Just translate and say nothing more about this got it?"

Berman nodded and took the email. His eyebrows rose a bit as he was reading. "If you could read it out loud, that would help." Gibbs commented drily.

"Sorry, I just wanted to make sure I got it all. 'Dear Ziva, I am sure where your thoughts are this Father's Day, knowing how you disappointed and betrayed your own father. He was never proud of his "American Daughter" and I am disgusted to even know you. You must be so proud of your new life, but do not think you will ever enjoy it. Your Agent DiNozzo will soon learn that his father is forfeit, if he has not already heard the news. I will not stop until you have suffered completely.' Uh, that's it." Berman's mouth was dry.

Gibbs looked sharply at McGee, having just shared the news of the attempt on Tony's dad. "Ok, thanks Berman. You never saw this." Gibbs dismissed the Analyst. "McGee, with me." Gibbs and McGee headed back to Vance's office.

Vance was still in MTAC with the units in New York. Gibbs silently handed over the email and translation. "This just came. He doesn't sign his name, but it has to be from Bodnar."

Vance read the email, growing more disturbed as he read. "It would appear that he does not know they have left DC." Vance commented. He looked at Gibbs. "The assassin gave the 'all clear' to Bodnar, so he would believe that Mr. DiNozzo had been dispatched as planned. That explains the timing of this email; he would have waited for confirmation."

Gibbs nodded. "Are they keeping this out of the news? I don't want Tony hearing some news report somewhere that his father was killed, especially when he wasn't."

Vance shook his head. "As far as any local news, 'Man killed by intruder, still to be identified pending notification of relatives.' The story will then be buried. Have you heard from either of them yet?" Vance looked sharply at both Gibbs and McGee.

They both shook their heads no.

Vance looked at the email. "Well, Bodnar is stepping up his game. He will expect a response." He looked significantly at Gibbs.

"Oh, we have a response for him." Gibbs ground his teeth. "McGee, set me up on Ziva's account. _I'll_ send the response."

McGee looked pale and uncertain as to what Gibbs had in mind, but followed him out of the Director's office.

Gibb's sat at Tim's desk after he logged back into Ziva's account and opened the email. Gibbs hit "reply" and started typing:

"Coward! You send little men to do your work for you because you are a little man yourself! You are nothing! You may have blood spilled, but in the end it will be your blood flowing through the streets, blood that will never be the line of David!"

Tim looked at the message Gibbs had just written. "Uh, Boss? Wouldn't Ziva send back the message in Hebrew?"

Gibbs smiled. "Nope. She is wiping the smirk of his arrogant face by reminding him of her freedom and insulting him by writing in English."

"Ok..." Tim looked at the message. "Does this mean something?"

"Oh, yeah. Ziva mentioned to Tony when she was with him in his apartment in January that Bodnar always fancied himself as part of her family. She was very passionate and angry about his self-insertion, and made a point to tell Tony that 'he was not blood.' Ziva just reminded him that he is not the true heir of Eli David."

McGee was impressed. "That's going to make him angry, Boss."

"Ya' think, McGee? I'm banking on it. Maybe he will even try to come over here himself, since Ziva accuses him of being a coward. I'd love to see him try." Gibbs had a vicious gleam in his eye.

_**Thanks so much for the great reviews and for the favs and follows. I will try to update at least every two days, but with my other ongoing story and work, may be tough. Thanks again for your support!**_


	35. Chapter 35

"_**Ok..." Tim looked at the message. "Does this mean something?"**_

"_**Oh, yeah. Ziva mentioned to Tony when she was with him in his apartment in January that Bodnar always fancied himself as part of her family. She was very passionate and angry about his self-insertion, and made a point to tell Tony that 'he was not blood.' Ziva just reminded him that he is not the true heir of Eli David."**_

_**McGee was impressed. "That's going to make him angry, Boss."**_

"_**Ya' think, McGee? I'm banking on it. Maybe he will even try to come over here himself, since Ziva accuses him of being a coward. I'd love to see him try." Gibbs had a vicious gleam in his eye.**_

Vignette Eleven- Part Four

**Montreal, Canada**

After they were gone for one month and shortly after the "attack" on his dad, Tony and Ziva sent an email to McGee, to his home email. It was vague and gave no information, except that it would let McGee know they were alive and where they were at the moment.

They would be leaving in two hours to fly to Paris, so they waited until the last possible moment to send the email, in case anyone had it in their mind to come after them. They had made some decisions and Ziva convinced Tony that Paris should be their entry point. At this time, Tony was relying on Ziva's personal relationship with Bodnar and her experience with Mossad to guide them.

Once they reached Europe, it was game on. Tony was anxious to get started and get this over with. He knew that every day they delayed was another day the trail grew colder, unless Bodnar or someone close to him made a serious blunder. Tony doubted that would happen, unless something or _someone_ made Bodnar show his face before he was ready.

**McGee's Home**

Tim threw his stuff on the sofa, he was so tired. They had busted their balls today, and having Tony and Ziva gone had been a serious hit to the team. Dorneget had been officially transferred to them, Tim was now Senior Field Agent and Agent Karen Markle was transferred from another team, out of Miami.

Tim grabbed a beer out of his fridge and sat in front of his computer. Rubbing his eyes, he opened his email. After deleting one message after another, he paused. He looked at the next email, confused. It said it was from "tommyandlisa ".

McGee's eyes opened wide. He quickly opened and scanned the email. He smiled and printed it up, then deleted it off of his hard drive.

Running out the door, he called Gibbs. "Boss, you home? I have something."

**Gibbs' Home**

McGee walked right into Gibbs' house, shaking his head at his own lax security, especially in consideration of what had just gone down in New York.

"Down here, McGee!" Gibbs called out. Tim followed his voice down to the basement.

"Where's Tony's Dad?" Tim asked.

Gibbs pointed upstairs, which Tim took to mean either in the shower or in whatever bedroom he was staying in. Sr. had been shocked when he heard about the attempt on his life. He gave Gibbs no more grief about his insistence at being guarded.

"I got an email, Boss." Tim said excitedly, handing over the paper:

"_Hi McGregor!_

_Lisa and I were just talking about you, so we decided to say hi. We're doing great, after the excitement of the wedding. Mr. and Mrs. Paddington are taking things slow, thank you very much. Lisa did hear from her brother, so we may go visit him in Paris, sort of a belated honeymoon._

_Hope Amy and LJ are doing well. Tell them we said hello and we miss everyone. Job is challenging and can be frustrating, but we are really getting into the groove of things now._

_Cheers! Tommy and Lisa"_

Gibbs read the email again, to make sure he got everything. He looked at McGee. "Did you read this?" Gibbs asked.

McGee frowned. "Well, yeah it was sent to me."

Gibbs smiled. "So what did you get from this?"

Tim thought about it. "Well, it's definitely from Tony and Ziva, because they are using the names of their characters in my book, 'Tommy' and 'Lisa'. Also, if I remember correctly, Paddington is a family name of Tony's. The email came from a public computer in a Library in Montreal. Uh, and they got married." McGee gulped at that.

Gibbs smiled. "_Tommy and Lisa got married_, McGee. It makes their cover more believable. So they're in Montreal and getting ready to fly to Paris. This means they got enough Intel to move forward. That's what they meant by 'hearing from her brother'." Gibbs frowned.

"Not sure it was a good idea to use a family name. It could be on Tony's dossier."

"Uh, Boss, I don't understand what they mean by 'hearing from her brother'. Isn't Ari dead?" McGee looked scared.

Gibbs nodded. "Remember when I mentioned that Tony told me that Ziva complained about Bodnar, how he considered himself the son of Eli David and his heir apparent. Ziva strongly disagreed."

"Ah, so 'brother' is Bodnar." Tim responded. "Do you think they really heard from Bodnar or are they just making sure we know they are going after him?"

Gibbs looked at the email again. "I doubt they heard from him, unless they are also monitoring their personal emails. In which case, they would have seen the email regarding Tony's father. I don't see any concern about his well-being in here, so I'm guessing it is code for their plan." Gibbs thought for a second.

"McGee, can you do a search for Tommy and Lisa Paddington without it raising red flags anywhere?" Gibbs looked at McGee, his blue eyes piercing.

McGee considered the question. "Well, we can look at passenger manifests for flights out of Montreal. I can hack into the airlines systems for their passports. At least we can see what they look like now."

Gibbs nodded. "Do it. And Tim. Set up your own dummy email account to keep in touch with them. Do what they did: use the public library computers or computers available at a university. Just as long as it doesn't lead back to you and NCIS."

"On it, Boss. What do you want me to write back?"

Gibbs smiled. "Oh I have a few choice words in mind, but I don't want to blow their cover. I'll write something up for you to send them.

**Paris, France**

Tony and Ziva were in Paris for two days before they spotted their first person of interest. Ziva had told Tony that Bodnar used to tell her about all of his missions, in minute detail.

The man was such a megalomaniac that he didn't consider he was giving up any contacts or hiding places. He was so enamored of his own prowess, that he didn't mind answering the probing questions young Ziva had asked him.

Of'course at first, it was because she was learning and wanted to know every detail for future reference. The last time they had any one on one time, discussing mission details had been when she stayed in Israel over the Michael Rivkin debacle. That was four years ago, and many of these people Bodnar had mentioned could be long dead, or imprisoned.

Marcel Favreau worked as an Antiques dealer by day and as an arms dealer by night. They found him exactly where Bodnar had told Ziva he would be. They began their mission on a Thursday morning, strolling hand in hand along the boulevard, window shopping.

It was not too hot, even though it was June. Tony wore a designer sports shirt and trousers, and a hat. Ziva was dressed in a light weight dress with a light sweater. They wanted to appear well-off, but not too rich. Tony had opened an account and gotten a safe deposit box in a Paris branch of the Swiss Bank.

They had a lot of cash that they didn't want to carry with them. The account in the Swiss Bank allowed them access to the money wherever they were in Europe. The safe deposit box was for the remainder of the cash, which would only be used for emergencies.

Ziva had also inherited quite a bit from her father's estate. She took care of her legal obligations while she had been in Israel, but at the time she wasn't thinking of needing the large sums of money she had been left.

In March, when she started making her private plans, she had a large amount wired over to her American Bank account. This money was also taken when they left DC.

So far, the money had come in quite useful. The passports and fake ID's did not come cheap, nor was flying to Paris. They were essentially on the run, but had to maintain a normal lifestyle of tourists and when the situation warranted it, as locals. They didn't want to draw attention to themselves, so they acted like normal people visiting a foreign country.

This included some site seeing, while they were scoping out areas of interest. They stopped in front of the Antiques shop, looking in the front window display.

Marcel Favreau saw them outside and immediately pegged them as tourists that were on the higher side of the income scale. He didn't expect any big sale, but maybe something smaller? He was pleased when he heard the bell to his front door ring as they entered.

"Bonjour, bienvunu!" Favreau welcomed them.

Tony smiled wide. "Bonjour, Monsieur." Tony spoke with a cultured British accent. "I am sorry, neither I nor my wife speak French."

Favreau bowed. "It is not unexpected. You are not from here yes? I know some English."

Ziva turned and smiled shyly. "What a delightful establishment you have. We are travelling from Montreal, on our honeymoon. This is my husband Thomas, I am Lisa Paddington."

"Ah, what better place than the City of Love! Please, look around, make yourself at home." Favreau kissed Ziva's hand.

"Merci." Ziva murmured. She and Tony moved slowly around the shop, stopping to discuss some pieces they looked at.

"Look at this Louis the 14th chair! I would kill for this!" Tony whispered under his breath. Ziva just smiled.

"It will not fit in our suitcase, Thomas." She said loudly, letting the owner know they were actually interested in purchasing something.

"Ah, perhaps something smaller? I must say that I admire your taste. You have a very good eye." Favreau bowed again. "In my display, I have some smaller pieces. Perhaps a beautiful piece of jewelry for your beautiful bride?"

Tony had to give this guy points. He was ready to buy him out. They dutifully went over to the display and Ziva pointed to an exquisite cameo brooch. Several other customers came in, speaking French. Favreau nodded at them.

"That is a lovely choice. It belonged to a Duchess from Marseilles. Eighteenth Century." He brought it out and laid it on a velvet covered tray.

While they were looking at it, Favreau's phone rang. "Please excuse." He bowed again and took the call.

He spoke rapidly in French. Ziva examined the pin closely while listening in to the conversation. She turned to Tony. "Thomas, this has been a very lovely day. I adore this." She smiled brightly at Tony.

"Lisa, my love, are you saying that you have seen enough and would like this brooch?" Tony had his arm around her waist and gave her a squeeze.

Favreau ended his call and returned to his young couple. "So, you like what you see, oui? It is magnifique!"

"Oui, merci." Ziva murmured. Favreau beamed brightly.

"It is a favorite of mine. I am happy it will be worn again that all may see its beauty." He took the brooch, and went to clean it.

He brought it back, brightly wrapped in a special box. Tony didn't even blink at the price, and paid him in Euro's. Favreau was pleased to receive cash instead of credit. This young couple was an excellent customer, and he hoped they would come again.

"I hope you will stop by again before you return home to Montreal. I have some estate jewelry coming in next week that may interest you."

Tony smiled. "Thank you, we may just do that. We are not on any schedule, just taking us where the wind blows as they say." He took the owner's card. "I will definitely tell my friends in London about your establishment."

"Thank you, Sir, for your kindness and business. Good day and pleasant travels." Tony shook his hand, and smiled when Favreau kissed Ziva's hand again.

He took her hand and they strolled back out into the street. "Later." Ziva said. Tony nodded, pointing things out as they walked. They didn't really think Favreau suspected anything or was watching them, but they didn't want to take any chances.

They passed by a Library, and decided to go in and see if they got an email back from McGee. Sure enough, after logging into their email account, they found one new email, from "McGregorT .:

"_Hi guys! Great to hear from you. LJ says hi. Boss isn't happy but he never is. Call when you get the chance. All sorts of news to share. Take lots of pictures and send when you get the chance._

_McG."_

Tony and Ziva read the email silently. "Do you think he meant Gibbs or Vance when he said the Boss isn't happy?" Tony wondered.

"Does it matter?" Ziva asked. "I feel bad we just left like we did, but it had to be done that way."

"Yeah, I know." Tony looked around. He signed off on the computer and took her over to a deserted section of the library. "So, anything?"

Ziva looked around. "The phone call was definitely from a buyer, so he is still in the business." She sighed. "It is too bad. I rather liked him."

"He _was_ charming. That's why he's good at what he does." Tony looked grim. "We better make that call. What time is it there?"

Ziva looked at her watch. "It is 8 a.m. They should be in the office, unless of'course they are in the field on a case."

Tony nodded. "Ok, let's go back to the hotel and make the call."

**NCIS**

Gibbs was sitting at his desk when his cell rang. He looked at the readout. _"Blocked number."_

"McGee, with me." Gibbs got up with his phone and headed toward Vance's office. "Yeah, Gibbs." He answered.

"Hi Dad." Tony said quietly.

Gibbs looked at McGee and nodded. "Well, if it isn't my wayward son and daughter. Give me a second to get into a quiet place. We have lots to talk about." He went into Vance's outer office and showed her the phone. It was enough for her to buzz him in.

Vance looked up when Gibbs and McGee entered.Gibbs punched the speaker on his cell. "Ok, _'Tommy',_ go ahead. Nice to finally hear from you."

"Yes, well, we've been busy." Tony hedged.

"Doing what, exactly?" Vance demanded.

Tony looked at Ziva. "My _friend_ used to brag about his work. He gave me many names. We are looking for them. We found one today."

"In Paris." Gibbs said.

"Name!" Vance barked.

"Marcel Favreau. He owns an Antique store on the West Bank. He is making a weapons deal tonight. You need to contact Interpol or the French authorities." Ziva said.

"Will he be able to connect the bust to you?" Gibbs asked.

Tony thought about it. "We made a point that we could not speak French. Several other customers came in that were French before he got his call. It would make more sense to think of them."

"We have some names for you: Enrique Vasquez from Barcelona, and Marco Cagnani, Naples." Vance said, after getting the address and meeting time for the arms deal.

Tony looked at Ziva. "Where did you get those from? We already know about Vasquez."

Gibbs took a deep breath. "Tony, they went after your father. He's fine; he's been with me since you left. I anticipated this was going to happen. We caught the assassin and he spilled his guts. Except where we could find Bodnar."

Tony went pale when Gibbs had said Bodnar had sent someone to kill his father. "Shit" was all he could manage.

Ziva squeezed his hand. "We need some…assistance. Guns, knives, a voice squealer. We can't always call you to call the authorities; we may have to call ourselves. Anything to help disguise our voices will be of help."

"Is that your plan then? To destabilize his network, to find and turn in every arm's dealer and assassin known to have contact with Bodnar?"

"For now." Ziva answered quietly.

"Then why do you need weapons?" Vance asked, his voice edged with anger.

"For our protection. We may have to actually disable some of these people and I want us both to walk away in one piece." Tony answered the question.

Vance looked at Gibbs, who nodded. "We'll talk to our friends at Interpol. If this bust goes down, they will probably be willing to offer some assistance. Call us tomorrow, noon our time, and we can give you some instructions."

"Did you get the email?" McGee asked this question.

"Hey, McGregor! Didn't realize you were there. Yes, we read it today. Glad to know that worked out ok."

"It was a good idea, Ton…Tommy." McGee answered.

"I want to make it clear that you are not sanctioned to go after Bodnar. Believe me, I understand your motivation, but you will not, repeat, will not, make any attempt to contact Bodnar. Do I make myself clear?" Vance's voice was cold and harsh.

Tony and Ziva looked at each other. Tony cleared his throat. "Director, it is not our intention to capture or kill Bodnar, despite our…_motivation_. We want to find him, and then let the authorities know where he is so he can be captured. Period."

Vance looked at Gibbs, who nodded. "Understand this, I can't protect you. You have gone off on your own. We will give assistance as we are able, but our hands are tied. If Interpol decides to take a more active role in helping you, that is up to them. We will remain in touch, and you will report in."

"Understood." Tony and Ziva both said. "We'll check back in tomorrow around noon." The line went dead.

Vance looked again at Gibbs. "Well, do you believe them?"

_**Hmm…not so many responses to Part Three. Hope you liked it. This Vignette is not going to be overly long, maybe seven parts. Have to wait and see how the writing goes. Thanks for reading, please review when you get the chance.**_


	36. Chapter 36

_**Tony and Ziva looked at each other. Tony cleared his throat. "Director, it is not our intention to capture or kill Bodnar, despite our…motivation. We want to find him, and then let the authorities know where he is so he can be captured. Period."**_

_**Vance looked at Gibbs, who nodded. "Understand this, I can't protect you. You have gone off on your own. We will give assistance as we are able, but our hands are tied. If Interpol decides to take a more active role in helping you, that is up to them. We will remain in touch, and you will report in."**_

"_**Understood." Tony and Ziva both said. "We'll check back in tomorrow around noon." The line went dead.**_

_**Vance looked again at Gibbs. "Well, do you believe them?"**_

Vignette Eleven: Part Five

Tony and Ziva retired to their hotel room. The "Agent" part of them wanted to hide out and watch the bust, but they knew they couldn't risk detection. All they could do was wait and hope that Interpol acted on their info and everything went as described in the phone call.

"So, I guess we wait to hear if our friends from Interpol decide they _are _our friends. I really don't like not having a gun." Tony grimaced.

"I would kill for a knife right now." Ziva said, with more heat than she intended. Tony looked at her, concerned.

"I am sorry, Tony. I do not like leaving my work in the hands of others." Ziva stood, looking out the window.

Tony pulled her away and wrapped his arms around her. "I know. But we planned how this was going to go down. This is just like home: we do all the work and Fox 5 News reports that it was 'some government agency'. We are the unsung heroes, and in this we have to be the _unknown_ heroes."

"I know, and I accept that." Ziva placed her head on his shoulder. Tony pulled up her chin and kissed her with passion. "Maybe I need to take your mind off things for a while, hmm?" He smiled seductively.

Ziva chuckled. "I knew I kept you around for something. You know, Tony. I rather like being able to go out in public together as a couple, even if it is as 'Tommy and Lisa'. Abby would say 'TISA' I suppose. It is nice to not have to pretend about our feelings."

Tony was thrilled to hear these words from Ziva. He was worried that after spending so much time together, literally being "stuck" with him, she might rethink this whole relationship thing between the two of them.

His feelings were only reinforced and solidified. He felt with certainty what they had was good, and would stand the test of time. Her words gave him courage.

"You know, before I figured out you were planning to high-tail it, I was going to talk to you about moving in together."

Ziva looked at him in surprise. "Really? Well, I guess you got your wish. I think it will be hard to go back to our separate lives once this is over, yes? Unless you really piss me off."

"Oh, I love it when you talk dirty, Ziva." Tony grinned. He kissed her again and moved them over to the bed.

**NCIS-MTAC**

Vance and Gibbs stood in front of the big screen, discussing the operation that went down the evening before.

Interpol Paris Chief Michel D'Arcy looked up from his paperwork as he described the events of the night before.

"We apprehended Monsieur Favreau, as he was in the act of selling several crates of high-caliber fully automatic weapons to Dieter Sanger.

He is part of the 'Hamburg' terrorist cell. We have already extracted key information from him." D'Arcy sounded of disgust at the weakness of Sanger.

"We have alerted our Agents in Munich and expect to apprehend several more members, if not the entire cell of jihadists, shortly." D'Arcy was quite sure of himself.

"Has either admitted any involvement with Bodnar?" Vance asked, looking significantly at Gibbs.

D'Arcy looked at his paperwork. "Yes. Sanger knows of Bodnar, although he denies any current contact with him or that this purchase is tied to him. Monsieur Favreau, ah, he is _quite_ the charmer. I am surprised your people were able to turn him in. He is a master manipulator."

"Yeah, well I guess that's why he does so well in 'sales'." Gibbs quipped sardonically.

D'Arcy nodded in agreement. "Still, we were able to determine that he has been in contact with Bodnar recently. We are still working on him for a location. We will have it soon."

Vance looked at Gibbs and nodded. "Have you considered our proposal?"

D'Arcy smiled. "Oui! I have instructions for you, to give to your people."

Vance and Gibbs listened closely as D'Arcy filled them in.

**Paris, France**

Tony and Ziva played tourists all morning, killing time until their call-in at noon. They visited the Musee de Cluny, a gothic home built in the Fifteenth century atop old Roman Baths. It now housed a collection of Medieval Art, including the famous "Lady and the Unicorn" tapestries.

The five tapestries were hung in a circular room, spectacularly displayed. Ziva was enthralled with the workmanship and beauty of these fabrics.

Tony had seen them many times before, mostly in films. It would seem that every castle in Britain has one hanging in it, which is absurd. But he was also awed by the sheer size and majesty of these works of art. They continued to explore, going down to the Roman baths.

Soon, it was time for them to take their leave and find a secluded place to make their call. They found a small park nearby, and after buying some fruit and cheese for lunch at a Farmer's market, they settled down in a far corner shrouded by trees. Tony pulled out the burn phone and dialed the familiar number.

Vance and Gibbs were waiting in his office for the call. Gibbs cell rang exactly at noon. Gibbs again noted the "blocked number". "Is that you son?" He asked conversationally.

"Hi Dad." Tony answered in the same light tone. "Hope you had a good night last night." Tony added, referring to the operation Interpol should have completed.

"Yeah, it was ok." Gibbs said noncommittally, making Tony sweat. Vance smirked at Gibbs, knowing he was letting Tony know that all was not quite well yet between the Agents and home.

"Listen, I sent you something. You can pick it up at…" Gibbs looked at the sheet in his hand. "At the _'__Citadines Prestige Saint-Germain-des-Prés'_." Gibbs had to spell out the name and address.

"Just go to the front desk and ask for the envelope for Mr. and Mrs. Paddington." Gibbs instructed. "Listen, gotta' go. Keep in touch. Don't have too much fun."

Ziva was getting anxious. She didn't like not being able to hear the conversation this time. She couldn't wait to get inside so she could privately grill Tony. She took the notes from Tony's hand, reading the name and address of where they were instructed to go.

It was located in the 5th _arrondissement, __or neighborhood of Paris__,_ near the Latin Quarter. She liked the location: it was near the Sorbonne, so it catered to a multi-cultural student population. Prime, fertile ground for radical groups and terrorist cells. There were also several Metro stations in the area. Not that she expected that they would have to make a quick getaway. But it was good to be in close proximity of multiple travel options if the situation should warrant it.

Tony finally hung up and looked at Ziva. "I know you didn't like being out of the loop on that call. Next time, we will do it in our room again so we can be on speaker." He put his arm around her and gave her a kiss, two newlyweds enjoying the sunshine of a Paris afternoon.

He leaned over and looked at the paper in her hand. "We are supposed to go to the front desk and pick up an envelope. Nothing else was said." Tony told her, letting her know he knew nothing about how last night went.

"Do you think it is safe?" She asked. If the mission they had sent Interpol on had failed, or worse if some of their people had been killed, they would not be too happy with them.

Tony looked out over the gardens. "I don't think 'Dad' would send us there if he wasn't sure it was ok. We are going to have to trust them on this one." He admitted truthfully to himself that he didn't like going to a drop without proper backup, meaning a weapon. He sighed.

He stood up and held out his hand. "Let's get this over with. Do you know where this place is?"

Ziva nodded. "I know the area; it is actually not far. We can walk from here. I am sure we will have no trouble finding it. It is a good area, should we need to escape quickly."

Tony wasn't sure he liked the sound of that, but he conceded that Ziva was the Paris expert.

**Citadines Prestige Saint-Germain-des-Prés-** **53, ter Quai des Grands Augustins**

Ziva was right; they were in easy walking distance to the hotel. It was located in the heart of Paris, right on the river and within walking distance of Pont Neuf, and Sainte Chapelle. Also nearby were Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre Museum.

Tony looked at the building and its grand entrance. "I hope 'Dad' knows what he is doing." He whispered to Ziva.

Ziva chuckled. "Do you think he and 'Mom' ever spent time here?" Ziva was referring to Jenny. Tony realized that Ziva probably knew a lot about their time together in Paris. He gave himself a mental note to quiz her some later date for the dirty details. But now was not the time.

Holding hands, they entered the lobby and were pleasantly surprised at how modern and clean the inside was. Tony quickly walked up to the front desk.

"Excuse me." He began apologetically, for not speaking French. "No Francais." He added unnecessarily.

The Desk Manager, identified by his name tag as "Claude" smiled widely. "It is of no consequence. We cater to visitors and Parisians alike. May I be of service?"

Tony smiled wide and put his arm around Ziva. "I believe you have an envelope for my wife and me, Paddington?"

Understanding lit his eyes. "Ah, yes. 'Mr. and Mrs. Paddington. Some identification, S'il vous plait. It is respondre aux conditions, uh apology; requirement, yes?"

Tony and Ziva smiled at each other. They each handed over their passports. Claude did his job well, scrutinizing the documents. Tony was starting to worry when Claude smiled and returned the passports to them.

"Bienvenue! Welcome, we hope you will enjoy your stay." He went and pulled out the small envelope and handed it and a room key to Tony.

"Merci." Ziva responded. "Shall we check out our room?" She asked, her voice low and sultry, causing an amused look on the Desk Manager's face.

Tony's face lit up and he winked at Claude. "Oh, definitely."

Claude nodded. "The elevator is around the corner. Please take the time to tour the premises. I am sure you will find it most satisfactory."

Tony and Ziva thanked Claude and headed for the elevator. Their "room" was on the third floor. It was located at the end of the hall, near the stairwell.

Once inside, they looked around in awe. It was an apartment, with a demi-kitchen and full private bath. It was a corner unit, so it had windows on two sides. This could be advantageous, but it could have a downside as well, as windows were great conductors for people trying to listen in.

They sat down on the sofa and Tony tore open the envelope. Inside was a typed letter, two pages.

"_Bonjour and Merci. On behalf of my superiors, I wish to thank you for your assistance in apprehending two terrorists. Your efforts have given us significant intelligence, for which we are grateful._

_Therefore, we provide for you this apartment to use as your home base. The items you requested are located in the gym bags in the closet. We also took the liberty of "unpacking" your suitcases for you and you will find the closets full of clothes._

_We understand the nature of your mission and ask that you contact us directly. You will call me only at the number listed below. You will identify yourself as "Dove" so that there will be no question as to who you are. You will speak to me only._

_I have provided additional resources for your use, that I am sure will be of help to you. Should you need extraction, use the code word "Flood". I am hoping you will understand the reference." Sincerely, Michel D'Arcy, __01 55 12 15 55_

Ziva immediately went to the closet and came back out with three gym bags.

She placed them on the dining room table and they opened them up. "This one has weapons." Ziva couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. She pulled out several handguns and ammo. She looked closely and saw the serial numbers had been removed by acid.

She then pulled out a variety of other useful items: binoculars, day and night-vision; tranquilizer micro-injectors; covered wire cuffs, duct tape; chloroform and cloths. She was amazed at what they had been given. She pulled out a sheet of clear dots.

"What's that?" Tony asked, also mesmerized by the myriad of supplies they had been given. Ziva looked at them closely and understanding dawned on her.

"Oh, my God. I had heard of these, but never seen one before." She showed Tony the sheet. "These are tracking discs. They absorb into the skin and create a marker that can be traced."

Tony looked at the sheet with interest. "You mean instead of planting a mobile device in someone's pocket or car?"

Ziva nodded but frowned. "Yes, but they are more difficult to place. They must be put on the person's skin. That means…"

"That means us having to be in a position to touch our target of interest. Yeah, I see the downside. But they _are_ cool. Look what I found." Tony got his smile back.

He pulled out an iPad. Ziva frowned. "What is that for? It is not like we are going to use it to send emails and spend our time on the internet."

"Maybe they know you like to read." Tony teased. He turned the device on and saw the icons on the desktop, deceptively non-descript. He clicked on the first one.

To his surprise, the entire database of terrorists, arms dealers and persons of interest wanted by Interpol opened up. "Whoa!" Tony exclaimed. Ziva looked over his shoulder.

"Open the other shortcuts." She asked, anxious.

Tony complied and they realized they had the databases for FBI, CIA, Interpol, Israel/Mossad and the Iranian information provided by Kazmi. The last one was a combined database, eliminating the duplicates.

They looked at each other. "Uh, maybe it's just me, but I sure hope they don't expect us to run down and find every one of these people. I would like to go home someday." Tony commented, looking at the huge listing.

Ziva also looked disturbed. "I cannot imagine Gibbs or Vance would agree to that. I think this is just a guide for us. We will need to study these. If we do run across any of these people, we will of'course be obligated to notify Interpol. I think that is our price to pay for all of this." Ziva looked around. "But I will not let this…" she pointed at the tablet. "…sway us from our own mission. It will be helpful, especially if we can determine those most likely to have been contacted by Ilan. And we will be able to see if the names I have are listed."

"I also found this." Tony held up several stacks of Euro's. "It would appear that there was a reward out for our arm's buyer."

"You are not serious!" Ziva took one of the stacks. "And they paid it to us? I find that, odd."

"Do you think this money is being tracked, that it is their way of following us?"

Ziva raised an eyebrow. "Tony, this whole apartment could be bugged, which I suggest we search. I do not want our evenings broadcasted to anyone."

Tony grinned at that, but he had to admit that he didn't like the idea of them being watched either, even if it was by the "good guys".

They proceeded to search the apartment, looking for cameras and listening devices. After three hours, they admitted either there were none or Interpol was too good at what they did. Well, at least Tony did.

Ziva did not believe anyone could hide a listening device that she could not find. Therefore, it was her conclusion that there were none to be found.

"Ok, I'm starved. What do you say we go check out one of those little cafes we passed on the way here? We can blend in with the locals, do a little people watching and enjoy some local cuisine and preferably the local wine." Tony looked at Ziva from his sitting position on the living room floor.

Ziva chuckled. "Yes, let me just go freshen up. I think you could use a little 'freshening up' as well, yes?" They did what Tony called a "spit bath," washing faces and armpits. Ziva reapplied her makeup, wearing more than she usually did.

They pulled out some of their "new" clothes. "We need to get our belongings from the other hotel tomorrow." She reminded Tony.

"Ok." Tony was inspecting a very nice jacket. "How did they get our sizes?"

Ziva smiled. "Yeah, I get it. 'I don't want to know.' Ready?"

Ziva linked her arm in his, and they left the hotel and strolled down the street and turned onto rue Xavier Privas and ended up at a Lebanese restaurant that looked quiet.

They were seated outside at a small table. As Ziva was perusing the menu, Tony grabbed her hand. "Oh, shit." He said under his breath.

"What is it?" Ziva asked conversationally, trying not to look or sound alarmed.

"Look at this, and laugh and smile like I am showing you something funny." Tony had Ziva lean over to him and looked at the iPad, which he had brought with them. He had several thumbnails of photos open, showing members of the First Wave pro-Palestinian group that Gavriela had mentioned to him and McGee.

Ziva smiled and ran her finger over the pictures, chuckling. "If I'm not mistaken, picture number three is sitting over at that corner table." Tony whispered out of the side of his mouth, and then chuckled with Ziva.

Ziva leaned in to kiss him, and laid her head on this shoulder, so she could follow his line of vision.

"I believe you are correct, my love." Ziva kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear. "It just so happens I have some of those tracking dots."

Tony flinched at that. He or Ziva would have to actually touch this person to get the tracking device on him. He amended that: he would have to do it; there was too much risk of Ziva being recognized, since Eli David had been a prime target.

Just then, their wine arrived. Although a Lebanese restaurant, they had a full range of French wines. They clinked their glasses together and took healthy sips, knowing they were about to jump in feet first.

_**Whine and they will come, just ask my husband. Thanks for the reviews. I thrive on them as they give me the motivation to continue writing. Hope you continue to like this story. I have been to Musee de Cluny and the tapestries are breathtaking. Also, I am not a French linguist. I just looked up what I wanted. The Hotel is real.**_


	37. Chapter 37

"_**I believe you are correct, my love." Ziva kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear. "It just so happens I have some of those tracking dots."**_

_**Tony flinched at that. He or Ziva would have to actually touch this person to get the tracking device on him. He amended that: he would have to do it; there was too much risk of Ziva being recognized, since Eli David had been a prime target.**_

_**Just then, their wine arrived. Although a Lebanese restaurant, they had a full range of French wines. They clinked their glasses together and took healthy sips, knowing they were about to jump in feet first.**_

Vignette Eleven- Part Six

Ilan Bodnar slammed his fist down on the table as he read the email from Ziva. _She dares to taunt him?_

He started pacing, running his hand through his hair. His anger was overwhelming. He knew he had made a grave error in contacting Ziva when he was in the U.S. He should have just gone over to the apartment that they had her in.

He smirked. _Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo_. The idiot who had killed Michael Rivkin was now harboring his lover. He had admired the way Eli had manipulated both Michael and Ziva to his own devices. He was angered the NCIS Agent had been allowed to return to America without punishment, but he did not question his Director.

That changed when he became aware of his plans with Kazmi. _"Fools!"_ Bodnar spat. _"There will never be peace between our peoples."_

His goal of taking over Mossad had been thwarted. His only motivation now was to make those responsible pay for their sins. He had accomplished one goal by killing the father of Agent DiNozzo. He smiled almost maniacally. He imagined the reversal in roles: instead of Agent DiNozzo comforting Ziva during her time of loss, it was now Ziva comforting him.

He did not know what their relationship was, and he did not care. He only wanted them to suffer. He looked at the email again. _"Little man"? _How dare she! He, Ilan Bodnar, was afraid of nothing!

He made his decision and pick up his cell phone and spoke quickly in Hebrew.

**Paris, France**

Tony and Ziva ate their dinner and chatted, keeping an eye on their suspect. At one point, Tony had Ziva sit across from him, so he could take her picture.

In the background was the table their First Wave target was sitting. The table was full, four men sitting together. The other three were not listed in the database as known members of First Wave, but they could be elsewhere. Tony and Ziva would have to look at the photo and see if the other faces matched up with anyone.

Unlike the U.S., there were no smoking bans in Paris. Their man of interest, _Matim Haddad_, was busy puffing away on one cigarette after another. Tony decided the only way he was going to get close enough to this man to plant the disk was to somehow get him to light a cigarette for him.

Tony didn't smoke, and had no cigarettes on his person. He made a mental note to carry cigarettes and cigars from now on. Ziva was at his side again, and he pulled her close to kiss her and whisper in her ear.

"I'm going to go buy some cigarettes. Maybe I can get our friend to give me a light. Give me one of those things." Tony was referring to the tracking disk.

Ziva picked up her purse and rummaged in it and came out with some lipstick and a mirror. She had taped a small strip of the disks to the mirror. As she applied her lipstick, she looked at the dots more closely.

Each had a number assigned. She had no doubt this number had to be entered into the tracking software to activate it. She was glad the number was printed on the sheet above the dot, so there would be no question which number to use.

She gave Tony her mirror, on the pretense of checking his hair. As he held the mirror, he placed one of his fingertips on top of a disk. It immediately removed itself from the sheet.

Ziva took her mirror back and kissed him. "Be careful; do not accidently place the disk on yourself." She pulled back and laughed. Tony laughed with her.

"Boy, _that _would be stupid. Ok, here I go." Tony kissed her again, a quick peck and stood up. He made his way to the cashier and was relieved to see that they did sell cigarettes. He bought a pack of Gauloises, a strong French brand. He looked back and was gratified to see that their target was heading to the men's room.

Tony stationed himself outside the door, holding his cigarette and slapping his coat and pants pockets. "Bloody Hell!" He said distractedly as Haddad approached the bathroom entrance. He looked up.

"I say, do you have a light? I seem to have lost my lighter, which is indeed a bit of sad news as it was a gift from my wife." Tony looked very unhappy, a stiff upper-class Brit about to get in trouble with the Missus.

Haddad did not seem surprised to be asked for a light and pulled out his lighter. Tony placed the cigarette in his mouth and cupped Haddad's hands as he lit it for him. Tony only had to briefly brush his finger against Haddad's skin. He could feel the disk fall away from his finger, knowing it had absorbed into his target's skin.

If Haddad was aware of the assault, he showed no concern. Tony took a drag, almost dying from the strong tobacco, but hid it well. "Brilliant! My thanks, friend. You have saved my life."

Haddad smiled. "You are welcome. Excuse me."

Tony looked at the door in feigned surprise. "Oh, yes of'course. I beg your pardon!" Tony quickly left the hallway and went outside.

He moved away from the entrance so he could gag and cough in private. _"Who could ever smoke these things?" _ He asked himself. He let the cigarette burn down to over half and then returned to his table.

Ziva had been waiting patiently, trying not to watch Tony as he made contact with Haddad. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him return, with the cigarette in hand.

He sat down, and put the cigarette in the ashtray and took a big sip of his wine. Ziva covered his other hand in hers. "Ok?" She whispered, stroking his hair.

"Ok." He replied. He looked at her and smiled. "Let's go, Lisa. That big bed looked very inviting."

She smiled in return and shook her head in amusement. "I am ready when you are, Thomas."

Tony stood and helped Ziva out of her chair, acting the perfect gentleman.

They paid their bill and were soon strolling back to the hotel. They took a different route, to see what else was in the neighborhood. Finally, they arrived at their destination and headed to the third floor.

Tony threw the pack of cigarettes on the table. Ziva picked them up in surprise. "You had to buy probably the strongest cigarettes on the planet, except maybe for Egyptian cigarettes." She teased him.

"Did he suspect anything?" She looked worried.

Tony shook his head. "No, it was surprisingly easy. Once I touched his skin the disk immediately dissolve and the cover fell away. Two seconds, if that? It was unreal. We need to call this in."

Tony grabbed their newest burn phone, which already had the number placed in the contacts list. He located the number and pressed send.

"Oui." A voice responded.

"This is 'Dove'." Tony said, still in his British Accent.

"Go ahead."

"Matim Haddad, First Wave, disk number AB60748. We have photo of suspect for ID, please advise method to send."

D'Arcy smiled. This was working out better than he expected. He gave them a secure email to send the photo to using the iPad. He explained an email address had been set up for them to use for this purpose.

Ziva pulled out the iPad and opened the email browser. Sure enough, it was already set up with an account.

"Understood." Tony answered and hung up. He removed the SD card from the phone and inserted it into the iPad. It immediately sensed the card and downloaded the photo.

Ziva opened up the photo and began to crop herself out of the picture, so that only the table with Haddad was visible. She saved it as _"FW Haddad". _She saved the original photo as _"Lebanese Restaurant-Paris"._

She looked at Tony. "Send them the cropped photo. I do not need to be in it. Just in case." Tony nodded, agreeing with her sentiment.

"We can send the original to McGee." She added. "I think NCIS should know what we find as well as Interpol. Not that they can do anything about it, but still…"

Tony smiled, loving the way Ziva's mind worked. "At least they'll know we are actually working and not just 'having too much fun'. Gibbs made a point to say that when I talked to them earlier."

Ziva took the burn phone from Tony and proceeded to dismantle it, crushing each of its components, and then placing the bits and pieces in a brown paper bag. Tony had already gotten their next burn phone out and added the Interpol number as he had with this phone.

"Ok, plans for tomorrow." Tony looked at Ziva. "One, we go to our hotel and check out. I think we should tell them we are leaving Paris."

Ziva nodded in agreement. "I would also like to get rid of this 'reward money'. We can put it in the safety deposit box, along with my brooch." Ziva fingered the piece of jewelry lovingly.

"Did I remember to properly thank you for this beautiful gift?" She eyed Tony.

Tony sat back in the soft arm chair and crossed his arms. "I don't think so, Dahling." He responded in his best Cary Grant imitation. "Why don't we move to the Divan?"

Ziva chuckled, remembering he had used a similar line when they were trapped in that damn box. She looked around. "I think that is a lovely idea, but we do not seem to have one, Dahling."

Tony pouted. "Well, that _is_ a bother isn't it? I guess we'll just have to make do." He stood and swept Ziva up into his arms bridal style and carried her laughing into the bedroom.

He threw her onto the bed, and then jumped on top of her. "Tell me how you really feel." Ziva chuckled.

"Oh, I plan to _show_ you, Ziva Lisa Paddington." Tony covered her mouth with his and slowly undressed his "wife"._  
_

**Several Hours Later**

Tony awoke with a start. He looked around vaguely, trying to get his bearings. He looked a Ziva, snoring contentedly as she was sprawled across most of the bed.

He smiled, memorizing again each of her curves. Groaning, he got up and got some bottled water and then settled on the couch, looking at the iPad. He'd had a nagging thought at the back of his mind and it wouldn't go away. _"This was too easy."_

He didn't know how much Gibbs and Vance had shared with this D'Arcy guy and Tony made it a point to double check. What were the odds that within an hour of getting an iPad with every known terrorist listed they would be sitting within ten feet of one? And not just any terrorist; but one that belonged to a group that was known to have wanted Eli David dead?

If anyone should have alarm bells going off it should be Ziva. She was the experienced undercover agent. Tony had only been undercover three times in his NCIS career, once with Ziva and all three in the U.S. He had never worked as a foreign operative, and had no major prior experience to gauge their success or lack thereof.

Tony let his gaze shift toward the bedroom. He would talk to Ziva in the morning, away from this room in case they actually did miss a bug, though he wouldn't say that to her.

The more he thought about it the more he thought they should go by their original plan and get the Hell out of Dodge. Oh, they would use all the handy weapons and tools provided to them by Interpol, but their focus needed to be on Bodnar.

He also believed they should step up their game and no longer be passive assistants but maybe actually take someone down on their own. He didn't want to think that this D'Arcy person was lying to them, but other than his word what proof did they have that Interpol actually took these people out of business?

Tony sighed. Maybe he was reading too much into this. Maybe they had just had a lucky break with the guy in the restaurant. He didn't want to waste time second guessing everything they did. He would talk to Ziva and get her take on things. He trusted her more than anyone, even possibly Gibbs, and certainly more than Vance. They didn't even _know_ Michel D'Arcy.

"Tony?" Ziva called softly. He looked up to see her standing at the entrance to the bedroom. "Are you ok? You look worried." She curled up with him on the sofa.

He sighed. There would be no going back to sleep now. He checked his watch. Four a.m. He put his arm around her and explained what he had been thinking about. Ziva listened quietly, letting him get it all out without interrupting him or asking questions.

When he was done, she sat silent, giving his words careful thought. Finally, she spoke, softly and deliberately. "I do not think you should discount your feelings because you have less experience than I do in this theater. I take many things for granted because I have done this so often. A set of fresh eyes is essential to our success."

She took his hand and twisted his wedding band. "I too was surprised we found someone immediately, but it is not unusual. The area we are in is a prime location for recruitment, being near the University. If we had only been given the First Wave photos and then there was one sitting with us at dinner, I would have run from the place." She shifted and brought her legs up onto the sofa and tucked them underneath herself.

"But we have been given such a large amount of information; they would have to know we were looking for this particular person or that we were focused on the First Wave. It could be that we would have seen him tomorrow somewhere else around here, and I know how Gibbs feels about coincidences, but I have to think that is what we have in this case."

She took a deep breath. "Having said that, I agree with you that we really have no proof that Interpol is acting on our observations. I suggest we go back to the Antique Shop. If Favreau is still behind the counter, then we will know that D'Arcy is lying to us."

Ziva leaned back against Tony's shoulder. "And I think we should leave Paris and continue with our own plans. We can use what they have given us, but I do not think we should rely solely on this database. And I agree we may have to risk detection by acting on our own."

Tony closed his eyes at that. He really didn't want any attention drawn to Ziva if he could help it. Changing ones hairstyle and color only went so far. Ziva had been on many missions for Mossad and there were people out there who knew her, most of them of the unfriendly variety.

"Do you want some breakfast? The Farmer's market opens at six. It is five thirty now."

Tony looked at his watch again in surprise. They had been talking for an hour and a half. Tony stood up and pulled Ziva up with him. "How about a shower, then we head out. We have a lot of things to do today."

Ziva smiled and kissed him on the cheek. She was pleased that Tony was really taking an active role and not just relying on her experience to guide them, even though that had pretty much been their plan.

**NCIS**

Gibbs had gotten in early, around six a.m. He was anxious to hear back from Tony and Ziva, to hear what Interpol had arranged for them.

Director Vance had relied heavily on Secretary of the Navy Clayton Jarvis regarding the validity of this Michel D'Arcy person from Interpol. He had assured both Vance and Gibbs that he knew him personally and had worked with him on multiple occasions.

He was high enough in the food chain that he could make the arrangements they had requested without needing to go through channels. D'Arcy was also counting on _them_, that his efforts to help his friend would be mutually beneficial. It was in his best interest for Tony and Ziva to succeed, so Vance and Gibbs felt confident that he could be a trusted ally.

Gibbs rubbed his knee. It had been aching more than usual lately and he didn't like not being as close to 100% as he could be. He thought about his time in the field and started wondering if the clock was speeding up.

He shook his head. He was nowhere ready to retire. What would he do? Build more boats? He wasn't management material, at least upper management so an A.D. position was out of the question, even if he was leaning in that direction, which he wasn't.

Other than the time he quit and went to Mexico to stay with Mike Franks, Gibbs never gave any serious thought to what he would do when he actually retired. He realized, truthfully, that he never expected to "actually retire". Even if he stopped working full-time at NCIS as a Field Agent, he could still act as a consultant. He may not be able to go out in the field anymore in the next few years, but his experience was a valuable commodity.

This brought his thoughts back to his "heir apparent" Tony, and to Ziva. Whatever he thought about their feelings for each other prior to this was thrown out the window. When they came back, they would either be together, or one of them would be leaving the team. It was as simple as that.

Gibbs didn't want to lose either of them, but he knew they probably would not be able to work together if this adventure of theirs brought a rift to their professional and personal relationship. He thought briefly of Jenny and how the intermingling of the professional and emotional had been their undoing. Hence, Rule No. Twelve.

But Gibbs knew that was only because Jenny had her eyes on the prize; cohabitation with Gibbs was secondary to everything else. He knew DiNozzo would like his own team, but was content to wait for Gibbs to retire. Ziva had expressed no desire for advancement, but that didn't mean she didn't have aspirations, it only meant he wasn't aware of them.

He thought Ziva would make an excellent Assistant Director, with her background. But she was also of the same ilk as Gibbs, being too hot-tempered and blunt to be "politically correct". For that matter, Tony would also make an excellent Assistant Director and had the schmooze to pull it off.

He was pulled from his musings by his phone ringing. _"Blocked Number". _Gibbs smiled, wondering if their ears were burning.

_**Thanks as always for the great reviews, they keep me going. Work hours are being increased, so fatigue factor will impact my updates. For my new readers who don't know, I had major neck surgery in August and just returned back to work. Don't have all day every day to write my new adventures anymore. **___


	38. Chapter 38

_**But Gibbs knew that was only because Jenny had her eyes on the prize; cohabitation with Gibbs was secondary to everything else. He knew DiNozzo would like his own team, but was content to wait for Gibbs to retire. Ziva had expressed no desire for advancement, but that didn't mean she didn't have aspirations, it only meant he wasn't aware of them.**_

_**He thought Ziva would make an excellent Assistant Director, with her background. But she was also of the same ilk as Gibbs, being too hot-tempered and blunt to be "politically correct". For that matter, Tony would also make an excellent Assistant Director and had the schmooze to pull it off. **_

_**He was pulled from his musings by his phone ringing. "Blocked Number". Gibbs smiled, wondering if their ears were burning.**_

Vignette Eleven- Part Seven

"Gibbs." He looked around the bullpen to see who was nearby.

"Hi, Dad, how's the family?" Ziva made the call this time. She and Tony had gone back to their original hotel room after they ate some breakfast, and decided to call from there. Ziva had the phone on speaker.

"Oh, we're somehow managing to limp along without you." Gibbs said sarcastically, still not wanting his Agents to feel comfortable with what they were doing. "Let me get to a secured location."

Gibbs went upstairs and into one of the Director's conference rooms. He pulled McGee up with him, to take notes if necessary.

He put the phone on speaker. "Ok, we can talk now. Did you pick up the envelope?"

"Yes we did. Did you know what Interpol was planning?" Tony was talking now.

Gibbs looked at McGee, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Vance and I, Secretary Jarvis, requested assistance with weapons and other supplies you might need. Did you not get any of that?"

"Oh, we got an embarrassment of riches, Boss. You wouldn't believe what they have given us. It's almost too good to be true." Tony's tone was unmistakable.

Gibbs looked disturbed. "Are you saying you think this is a set-up?"

"Not necessarily, but we are being cautious. In addition to weapons, we were given an iPad that has on it every database of wanted terrorists, which is very helpful. But Tony is a little wary because within one hour of getting this stuff, we found a member of the First Wave group. You remember them, yes?" Ziva responded.

McGee sat up. "Who did you find?"

"Oh, hey! His name is Matim Haddad. He was sitting at the restaurant where we were having dinner. I put a tracer on him, and then we called it in to Interpol as instructed. We will be sending you an email with his picture when we get to the Library." Tony smiled when he heard McGee's voice.

"It is interesting that we find a member of the same terrorist group known to have wanted to kill the Director of Mossad so quickly." Ziva commented.

Gibbs noticed she used the word "interesting" and referred to her father as the "Director of Mossad". This told him she was also a little bothered by their quick success and perhaps worried they were being monitored.

"How much does this guy know about us?" Tony asked.

Gibbs rubbed his face. "Not much, only that we sent a team undercover. So he knows you are NCIS but not who you are. He also knows our focus of interest is Ilan Bodnar, which would make sense given he has been named as the major suspect in the attack that killed the wife of the Director of NCIS, which again is why we sent you."

Tony and Ziva looked at each other. That was a very plausible reason for NCIS to send a team, totally eliminating the ties to Ziva's father as the purpose of the mission.

Gibbs cleared his throat. "I can tell you that he is personally known to the SecNav and he was instrumental in setting this up."

Tony raised his eyebrows at that. "Well, that probably explains their generosity then. They gave us an apartment, and all sorts of neat gadgets including these dissolvable tracking disks."

"What was that?" McGee looked at Gibbs, his interest peaked.

"I can't really explain how they work, except they are absorbed in the skin. Abby would probably know how they work. Each disk has a tracking number, so I guess that works the same way as with other devices. Enter the disk number into the tracking software to activate it."

"Do you also have the tracking software?" Tim asked.

Tony and Ziva looked at each other. "I don't know. Ziva is checking out the iPad right now to see." The line went quiet and Gibbs and McGee could hear background noise as Ziva looked through the software that had been downloaded onto the tablet.

"Yes, I think we do." Ziva responded. She opened it up. "Yes, it has a place to put the disk number." She looked at Tony. This was an unexpected prize. They could use it to track their own suspects, without Interpol.

"Ziva, can you send me the manufacturer information regarding this software? I can see if I can get a copy and then we can also track whoever you tag; assuming distance is not an issue. Not that we can do much from here, unless they travel to the U.S. Any idea how long the disk works?"

"Not a clue." Tony answered. "These things are seriously cool, but the downside is that you _do_ have to touch the person you want to track. It would help us to know how long they are active. I would like to see Haddam stationary in a cell. I can mail you one. Abby can experiment with it."

Gibbs smirked at that. "Send us the picture and the software information as soon as you can. The next time we talk to D'Arcy, I will not mention this conversation. I will also wait for him to bring up that you located a wanted terrorist."

"Is your gut telling you something, Boss?" Tony looked warily at Ziva.

Gibbs shrugged. "Jarvis has been fooled by his "friends" before." Gibbs replied, thinking of Sean Latham and that whole Watcher Fleet fiasco. "But I don't have a bad feeling about D'Arcy. Just being careful. I don't know him. I don't trust anyone I don't know."

Gibbs took a breath. "I didn't tell you this the last time we spoke, but D'Arcy did say they caught Favreau selling crates of high caliber, fully automatic weapons to a Dieter Sanger, a member of the 'Hamburg Cell'. Sanger gave up info regarding his terrorist organization. They both admitted to knowing Bodnar. This deal was supposedly not tied to him, but Favreau did admit to recent contact. Interpol is still extracting information from him."

Tony and Ziva looked at each other after hearing this bit of news. Tony took Ziva's hand, knowing that she was feeling anger now at this "nice little old man".

"Well, we have a way of verifying that information, Boss." Tony said quietly.

Gibbs nodded grimly. "Be careful when you go back to the Antiques Shop. I know you think there is no reason to tie you to the bust, assuming it actually happened."

Tony nodded, and Ziva sighed. "We'll let you know immediately if anything is out of the ordinary." Tony meant finding Favreau back behind the counter in his shop.

"You better, or I'll come there myself and slap your head into tomorrow." Gibbs growled.

Tony and Ziva smiled, glad Gibbs was watching their backs. "Ok." Tony commented. "We're going to head out and find some free computer we can use to send the email and picture. We have email on this iPad, but I would rather not use it since D'Arcy can probably monitor who we send and receive emails from. The less eyes, the better."

Gibbs nodded in agreement. "Ok, sounds like a plan." Gibbs hung up the phone.

Tony gave Ziva the burn phone to dismantle and took the iPad from her. He downloaded the photo and the tracking software onto a flash drive. He wrote down the essential information regarding the software to add to the email in case McGee was unable to open the download.

Once he was done with that, he got a satchel and placed the reward money inside. He picked up the brooch and ran his finger over it. Sighing, he put it in his pocket. He turned and watched Ziva finish with the phone. She grabbed a new one, and entered D'Arcy's number in the contacts.

"Ready? Tony asked.

Ziva looked around. They had packed the few belonging they still had at the hotel. After talking to Gibbs, she felt better about their current situation, but she was on alert.

Seeing that they had left nothing behind, she nodded. "I am ready. You can check us out of the hotel, I will wait outside."

They took the elevator to the lobby and Tony proceeded to check out. The front desk was very unhappy to see them go, but Tony smiled widely. "Oh, we'll be back some day. We are going to travel, Germany or Austria. We haven't quite decided yet."

The desk manager nodded in understanding. "Well, then I wish you a most delightful holiday. We hope to see you soon."

"Merci." Tony nodded and headed outside. Ziva was waiting at the end of the block. He strode quickly toward her, and took one of the bags she was holding.

They walked back to their apartment and dropped off the bags. Double checking to make sure they had what they needed, they headed out again, in search for a free computer. They went to the student center at the Sorbonne and found a bank of computers that was free for the public to use.

Tony quickly signed into their email account and uploaded the photo and software and sent it to Tim. He quickly closed out, and then took Ziva's hand. They took their time, watching their surroundings, making sure they weren't being followed.

They stopped at a Pâtisserie and got some croissants and coffee and sat at a small table outside to enjoy their treat and people watch. Tony took numerous pictures, mostly of Ziva much to her annoyance.

"Hey, we're on our honeymoon! This is what people do on their honeymoon." Tony grinned.

"First of all, _Thomas_, how would you know what people do on their honeymoon? And second, this is not what I will do on _my_ honeymoon."

Tony stopped mid-bite. "Oohh…tell me what you'll do. No don't. Ok, tell me."

Ziva just smiled at him. "You are a child."

"Yeah, I know. That's why you love me." Tony grinned.

"Is that the reason? I was not sure…" Ziva teased him. She checked her watch. "We need to get to the bank. They close early here."

Tony smiled, pleased that Ziva actually admitted she expected to have a honeymoon someday. He hadn't really made any plans beyond the idea of them living together. Now that they were on the run, and "married", even if it was their aliases, he was finding he liked the idea more and more.

Ziva had already said that they would remain together, unless he did something stupid that is. He made a vow to never piss her off, if he could avoid it.

"Tony?" He looked up to see Ziva regarding him, puzzled. "Are you ok?" She asked, unsure.

He kissed her. "I have never been better." He finished his pastry and nodded. He collected their plates and threw them away. "I'll go in and take care of this." Tony lifted the small bag.

Ziva linked her arm through his. "I will miss being here. The last time I was here, it was not a pleasant time."

Tony frowned. "Were you here some other time after we came here to pick up that witness?"

Ziva looked at him puzzled. "Oh, I was thinking of long term, that was just an overnight visit." She kissed his cheek. "_That_ was very pleasant."

Tony smiled, and kissed her back. "I thought you enjoyed yourself, despite your protests to the contrary. Ah, here we are. I'll be right back."

Ziva took the camera and started taking pictures. Tony went inside and had no problems accessing the safety deposit box. He placed the reward money and the brooch inside and got out of there.

**Jerusalem, Israel**

Mossad Officer Samuel Rivkin listened intently as Deputy Director Bodnar gave him instructions. He nodded, smiling as the phone call neared its end.

Finally, he was being activated and had a mission. He was so proud to have the trust of Director Bodnar. Rivkin recognized him as the true heir of the title and referred to him as such. Maybe he was not the legal Director of Mossad, but he was _Rivkin's_ Director.

"_Understood, Sir. I will meet you there."_ Rivkin tried to contain his excitement. He could control his emotions. But he would be lying if he denied the elation that was coursing through his veins, knowing the trust Bodnar had just endowed him with.

"_An eye for an eye."_ Samuel Rivkin smiled in anticipation. He would at last exact revenge on the murder of his brother, Michael. He envisioned the look of surprise on Agent DiNozzo's face when he showed up at his apartment.

Of'course, the stupid American Agent would be relaxing and not expecting a Mossad Assassin to show up undetected. It would be painfully easy. Rivkin considered the many ways he could kill Agent DiNozzo. He knew he would get directions when he was given his mission details, but he thought he should kill DiNozzo the way he saw fit. A glass shard in the side, then multiple gun shots.

**Paris, France**

Tony and Ziva strolled arm in arm down the side street toward the Antiques Shop. As they got closer, they could see the sign in the window: _Fermé_. Closed.

Tony took a deep breath and looked in through the window. "Yeah, it looks pretty empty." He looked back at Ziva, who had stayed away from the windows.

He walked toward her. "This is good news, _Lisa_. At least we know they acted on our Intel."

Ziva nodded. "I still think we should leave and continue on our own. We can check out the contacts we know about in Spain and Italy."

Tony looked at Ziva, concerned. He nodded reluctantly. "Ok, but we maintain close contact with Gibbs. Now that they know what we are doing and seem to be on board, we can use all the help we can get."

Ziva took his hand and started walking. Once they got down the street, she spoke. "You are worried. Do you not want to leave?" She asked conversationally.

Tony winced. He didn't want to seem to be unsure of this whole thing, and hoped she didn't mean by that question that he didn't want to leave _with her_. There was no way he was letting her take off without him.

"Of'course I don't. I want to stay here and play "married couple on their honeymoon". I want to enjoy being with you and being able to show the world how much I love you."

Ziva gasped and squeezed his hand. She pulled him over and leaned against a building. She grabbed his face and pulled him to her. Tony grinned and happily complied, kissing Ziva with as much passion as he considered appropriate given they were in a public place.

They touched foreheads, taking deep breaths. "I love you so much, Tony." Ziva whispered. "I know you are afraid that I will take off, or go off my chair. But I will not leave you. I will stay with you. If you do not think we should leave Paris right now, I am fine with that."

Tony grinned at Ziva's "off my chair" knowing she meant "rocker". He looked surprised at her saying she would hold off leaving Paris if he felt it wasn't time. Or maybe she was saying she wouldn't mind playing married couple for a while longer.

He caressed her cheek. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't crazy about leaving our cozy nest here. I'm starting to get comfortable here, living with you and spending time in this fabulous city." Tony sighed.

"But I know Bodnar is not going to come to us, we have to go find him. Which is preferable but that doesn't make it any less nerve-wracking. Look, I know you used to thrive on this way of life. I guess I don't want you to decide that you want to go back to it, because…"

"Because it is not something you want to do, and that would mean we would not be together. I know your heart, _Thomas_. And mine is yours. Do not worry needlessly. Yes, I am comfortable doing this, but I made my choice years ago." She punctuated her statement with another kiss.

Tony smiled wide. "Ok, I'm on board with whatever you want to do. Let's just…can we be normal people for the rest of the day?"

Ziva laughed. "I am not sure we will ever be 'normal people', but yes. I would like to play for the rest of the day. Everything else can wait, until tomorrow."

Tony grabbed her hand and they headed off, in the general direction of the Louvre.

**NCIS**

McGee got into work early. He went to a library the evening before and checked his email and downloaded the attachments Tony and Ziva had sent him. He was anxious to learn about this new tracking device and software.

He signed into his computer and attached the flash drive. He waited impatiently for the software to download. Finally it came up. Tim looked through it, fascinated by its sophistication.

He looked at the email again and entered the tracking number of the New Wave terrorist that Tony had been able to place a tracking disk on. To his surprise a map of Paris came up and a red dot started pulsing.

"Oh, my God, it works from here." He started to call Gibbs, but he walked in just then. "Boss, you aren't going to believe this. I got the email from Tony and Ziva with the tracking software. Here, look."

Gibbs came around McGee's desk and looked at his computer. He was just as surprised to see that not only did the software work on their computer but they could use it to track a suspect from such a distance.

Gibbs looked at McGee. "We need to show this to the Director. Come on."

_**Thanks as always for the great reviews!**_


	39. Chapter 39

"_**Oh, my God, it works from here." He started to call Gibbs, but he walked in just then. "Boss, you aren't going to believe this. I got the email from Tony and Ziva with the tracking software. Here, look."**_

_**Gibbs came around McGee's desk and looked at his computer. He was just as surprised to see that not only did the software work on their computer but they could use it to track a suspect from such a distance. **_

_**Gibbs looked at McGee. "We need to show this to the Director. Come on."**_

Vignette Eleven- Part Eight

Tony and Ziva sat comfortably in their hotel room, relaxing after a full day of sightseeing. Ziva had been to Paris many times, but she thoroughly enjoyed playing the role of tourist. However, now it was time to go back to work.

She sighed. She really wished they could just relax and be themselves and not be working. But she knew she would never rest until Ilan Bodnar was captured or killed.

Tony grabbed her hand. "What are you thinking?" He asked, concerned to see the worry lines in her forehead.

Ziva looked at him in surprise. She shook her head. "I was just contemplating our mission. I would much rather be doing something else, but I cannot let this go."

Tony went and sat next to her, putting his arm around her. "I know that. That's why I'm here with you. So what's next? Do we stay here and try to get some more Intel, or do we leave and search for more of these guys Bodnar told you about?" Tony stroked her hair.

Ziva looked into his eyes. "I think we should leave. There is only so much we can do here. I am not inclined to do Interpol's work for them."

Tony nodded, agreeing that while it was fun and tempting to see if they could track down any other terrorist or arm's dealer who happened to be here, that was _not_ what they were here for.

"So, where do we go from here? You had mentioned Spain and Italy." Tony asked.

Ziva bit her lip and considered the options. "I think Italy. It is closer to Israel, and he had more contacts there. We may have better luck."

Tony smiled. He had never been to the country of his grandparents. Well, that was not technically true; he had been there as a child and he had resented it. Just another place he was carted off to.

And then he and Ziva had been sent to Naples last year, but that was work. Tony smiled in remembrance. They had had a nice dinner with Stan, and the remainder of the evening had been pretty damn nice as well, but the rest of it was work. To see the land of his forefathers as a "tourist" appealed to Tony's sensibilities. "Italy it is!" He grinned. "When do we leave?" He tried to not appear to be anxious. A part of him was really excited to be going there, but he had to remind himself that this was _not_ a vacation. The real reason for their trip was much less exciting for him.

"I think the end of the week." Ziva answered, which was in two days. "That will give us time to tie up things here, contact Gibbs and send McGee an email. I would like to find out what happened with Haddad."

Tony looked at her. "They may not do anything for weeks. They probably just have him under surveillance at this point."

Ziva's shoulders sagged. "Yes, I would suppose you are right. They would not want to bring him in too soon. They are probably waiting for him to meet with others."

"Well, that makes sense, doesn't it?" Tony wondered why he was trying to talk her out of waiting to hear if Haddad had been captured. It would keep them in Paris longer, which he certainly preferred to roaming about Europe, leaving them exposed to detection.

But a part of him wanted this to be over with, so they could go back to their lives back home. The sooner they got Bodnar, the sooner that would happen.

**Naples, Italy**

Special Agent Stan Burley looked over the briefings for the day, frowning as usual at how little intelligence they actually contained.

He looked out the small window of his office. The events in DC had shaken him to the core. It was as bad as the Navy Yard being bombed, in his opinion. This one was just so much more intimate; so much more _evil_.

He felt horrible for Ziva. He smiled in remembrance of their first meeting last year. She was as stunning as the day was long. But he didn't mistake the protective nature DiNozzo hung over her. He wondered for the gazillionth time if the two of them were together.

He hoped for Ziva's sake that she had a strong arm to lean against, and he didn't begrudge DiNozzo being that arm.

He was used to seeing a Mossad presence in Naples. He knew many of them by name, occasionally meeting one or two for a drink to compare notes. Since the killings at the Vance's home, that presence had been eliminated.

Stan wondered if they had been recalled, to be reassigned to find Bodnar. He shuddered to think if any of these Officers he had contact with, could have been in league with Bodnar. He tried to think if he gave any information regarding Director Vance. He shook his head to remove that train of thought.

No, Director Vance and his wife had not been the targets. It had been Eli David and perhaps even Ziva. They had the misfortune of being at the Vance's home when the inevitable attack occurred.

Stan had never met Jackie Vance, although he knew Leon from before he became the Director. He couldn't imagine the pain he had gone through, losing his wife in their home. Every day, he stood on the very place she had been shot. Stan shuddered.

That was probably why he had never gotten married, although he had been close once, or maybe twice, if he was being completely honest with himself. The threat was ever present, although he had been thinking of the threat to his own person. He knew instinctively that family and loved ones were a favored target, but until it actually happened to someone he knew, it was easy to forget.

He threw the reports to the side. He wondered, not for the first time, if he was getting the full picture. The reports seemed…_lacking_ for a better word. Like they were being edited or redacted by a third person before they reached his hands.

He stood up, coming to a decision.

**NCIS**

Leon Vance was more of a computer geek than McGee was, so he was fascinated by this new technology that was being shown to him by Gibbs and McGee.

He looked up from the red pulsing dot. "This is Haddad? DiNozzo put one of those tracking devices on him?"

"Yes, Sir." Tim answered. "He didn't explain how he did it, but he said you have to actually touch the person you want to track. The disk is absorbed into the skin."

"Interesting." Vance chewed on his toothpick. "Any idea how long they last?"

Gibbs looked at McGee. "Uh, no. Tony is sending us one to experiment with. This one was placed yesterday or the day before. Not sure because of the time difference."

Vance nodded. Just then, his intercom beeped. "Director, Special Agent Burley is in MTAC, wishing to speak to you."

He looked up at Gibbs and McGee. "I'll be right there, Cynthia. You two; come with me." Vance got up and strode out of this office, Gibbs and McGee in his wake.

**MTAC**

"Special Agent Burley, this is a surprise. I hope you have something for us." Vance got right to the point.

Stan grimaced. "Frankly, I hope I don't. Hey, Boss, McGee. How's Ziva?"

"She's fine." Vance answered for all of them. "What is the purpose of your call?"

Stan again looked worried. "It may be nothing. Director, my Intel reports seem a little thin lately. I was wondering if perhaps, they were being censored."

Vance became alert at that. "You think someone is intercepting your reports before you get them?"

Stan shrugged. "These daily reports used to be full of crap, I mean, literally. You had to really read through them to figure out what was useful, and they _always_ had something useful in them. But now…"

"Stan, are you saying that now all you are getting is crap?" Gibbs asked his former Senior Field Agent.

Stan shook his head. "I only wish. I mean, what I am getting is bullshit, but it is so much less, and there is definitely nothing of use in them. I would think if someone really wanted to mess with my reports, they would _drown _me in the manure. Instead, it is an embarrassment by the lack of data."

Gibbs and Vance looked at each other. "So you think someone is editing your reports before you get them, and doing a pretty half-assed job at it at the same time?" Vance clarified.

"Yeah, pretty much. Also, I used to see a Mossad presence around here. Lately, nothing. No one who even _smells_ of Mossad."

Vance stiffened at that. "How long has that been going on?"

Burley swallowed reflexively. "Since January." He said quietly.

Vance looked down, then at Gibbs. Gibbs looked back and nodded. "Need to know." He whispered.

"Burley, we have an undercover team over in Paris right now, working with Interpol. So far they have caused the capture of a known arm's dealer and a member of the 'Hamburg Cell'. They have also successfully placed a tracking device on a member of the pro-Palestinian group First Wave, Matim Haddad."

Stan sat up at that. "What? I should have been notified of at least the captures. That proves someone _is_ intercepting my reports. Damn."

He looked up. "Can you tell me what the objective of this team is? I may be able to assist."

Vance looked grim. "Their sole objective is to locate Ilan Bodnar and assist in his capture. What they have accomplished so far came as a result of their search."

"Wow." Stan said. "Undercover you say? Guess they won't be knocking on my door."

Gibbs smiled to himself. "Well, if they get in a jam and end up in Naples they might. You are to assist them in any way you can, should that happen."

Stan looked surprised. "Ok, I am assuming they know me then, or at least know we have an NCIS agent here in Naples."

"They know." Vance said. "Agent Burley, I want you to continue as if you suspect nothing."

"While at the same time trying to figure out who is getting my reports first. They are delivered by hand courier every morning. And no, I do not have a new courier."

Gibbs nodded, pleased that Stan had anticipated the question. He would be a good back-up for Tony and Ziva should they travel to Italy. Despite their successes, he knew the closer they got to Bodnar, the more dangerous it would be for them. The more allies the better.

"Tread lightly, Burley. We want to give our team every advantage. We will inform them that they may contact you if necessary." Vance instructed.

Stan nodded his understanding. "I'll contact you if I find out anything pertinent relating to my reports." He said, signing off.

**Paris, France**

Ziva looked over their belongings, trying to decide how much to bring with them. Since the weather was warm and they were heading south, they would not require heavy coats, but they still needed a variety of clothes to be appropriate for any occasion they found themselves in.

It was easy to just buy clothes on the road, but they didn't want to spend their money endlessly on unnecessary items. She looked up as Tony entered their apartment. "Did you get the car?" She asked.

Tony nodded. "Yep, a BMW SUV. I figured we could use the extra space, plus there are some hiding places in the cargo area for our weapons. Are you sure we won't be searched when we cross the border?" Tony threw the car keys onto the table and walked into the bedroom to watch Ziva fold clothes and place them in two piles: "yes" and "no".

"They should not or rather I guess I should say that it is not a _practice_, at least with those countries that belong to the European Union. I suppose if we look and act very suspicious they will, but I do not anticipate any problems." Ziva frowned as she reached for one shirt and then changed her mind.

Tony watched her, amused. "Are you really this stressed over which clothes to take, or is there something else bothering you?"

Ziva looked up at that. "I am not bothered. Packing is one of my least favorite activities, especially when it is for an op. I always over pack." She shook her head.

Tony chuckled and put his arms around her from behind. He kissed her neck. "We have plenty of room, so don't worry about it." He threw two packets of cash onto the pile.

"I went to the bank and got some more money, just in case we need to buy some more 'services'. Hey! I like that shirt!" Tony grabbed a shirt Ziva had put on the "no" pile.

"Fine, you can take it." Ziva flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Tony flopped beside her. "Are you having second thoughts about going? Or maybe about me coming with you?" Tony said the last in a quiet voice, afraid.

Ziva looked quickly at him and grabbed his hand. "No, I am not having second thoughts…about leaving or about you. So just get that out of your head right now."

"Then what is it? You seem distracted. Normally, you're so focused when we get ready for a case." Tony stroked her cheek.

Ziva leaned into his caress. "I do not know. Maybe I know we are getting closer and I am feeling too much…too close to this. I do not want to lose my perspective. That is how people get killed."

Tony frowned. "We'll be fine. We're not doing anything except being eyes and ears for NCIS. We're not planting bombs; we're not going to storm any terrorist hiding place. Are we?" He wondered now if he really knew Ziva's end game.

Ziva turned on her side. "No, I do not plan to try to capture Ilan or anyone. Maybe that is the problem. It is like sitting behind a desk instead of being in the field. It would be easier to take someone down rather than make a report and wait for someone else to do the job."

Tony pushed back a strand of her hair. "I know how you feel. But the goal is to get Bodnar and not get injured…_or_ killed. I really like my life right now, and I'm not looking forward to making any major changes."

Ziva smiled, knowing Tony was referring to their relationship. "Tony, what do you think will happen when we go back?"

Tony looked at her in surprise. "Back to NCIS? I don't know. I guess I thought…we would just go back to work."

Ziva sat up. "Gibbs must have realized by now that we are together, as well as Director Vance. Do you think we will be able to still work on the same team, with Gibbs?"

Tony sat up at that. "I hope so. But if Gibbs or Vance says we can't then I will go to another team. There's no way they are going to tell us we can't be together." He put his arm around Ziva's shoulders and kissed her temple.

Ziva sighed. "I think a lot will depend on how successful we are. Although we have already paid the price of admission, as it were."

Tony chuckled. "That's for sure. I think we are no longer on the shit list. But I also think you're right: we are going to have to earn their approval, for us to be together and remain on Gibbs team."

Ziva laid her head on Tony's shoulder, savoring their private time together. They were so used to being openly affectionate with each other that it will be hard to keep apart when they get back.

Tony pulled her to a standing position. "What else needs to be done?" He got her focus back.

Ziva considered the question. "Once we are done packing, all we need to do is call Gibbs and mail the package to McGee, which we can do from anywhere but the sooner the better." Tony was mailing McGee one of the tracking disks so he and Abby could experiment with it.

"Ok, let me call Gibbs now, and let him know our plans. Then we can get something to eat or we can head out, whichever you prefer."

Ziva nodded. "I think we should eat first before we leave.

Tony nodded and grabbed the newest burn phone. He quickly pressed in the numbers and waited patiently while it rang.

After the fourth ring, Gibbs answered. "Yeah, Gibbs."

Tony smiled. "Hi Dad! Wanted to check in before we take another trip."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow and nodded his head, knowing this would happen sooner or later. "Give me a second…son." Gibbs grabbed McGee and they went up to Vance's office. He waved the phone in front of Leon so he would know what was up.

Vance pressed the button under his conference table so that the room would be sealed.

Gibbs put his phone on speaker. "Ok, Tony. All clear. Go ahead."

Tony had his phone on the bed, as he and Ziva playfully cuddled together. It was their little secret, to be able to touch each other like this while talking to Gibbs and he had no idea what they were doing.

"Ok. We're getting ready to head down to Rome. We rented a car and are leaving shortly."

"How long will it take you to get there, DiNozzo?" Vance asked the question.

"It is between a thirteen and fourteen hour drive. We will stop in Marseilles overnight, and then continue on to Rome." Ziva answered.

"We were able to download the package you sent and can see your handiwork on the screen." Gibbs commented.

Tony and Ziva looked at each other in shock. "That's surprising. Not about being able to download the software, but that you can track targets over here. That really works to our advantage." Tony and Ziva realized they could place their own targets and NCIS could also track them at the same time they were. This was good news.

"Agent Burley contacted me this morning. He is concerned his Intel reports are being tampered with. We read him in to your mission, but not your identities. If you should need backup, Burley is at your disposal." Vance stated.

Tony heaved a sigh of relief. That was _very_ good news. Stan would be a valuable asset should the need arise. In fact, he could be used in a variety of ways, not the least of which was placing tracking disks so his and Ziva's identities would not be compromised.

"What's in Rome? Or is it a staging area for you to travel to and from surrounding ports?" Gibbs asked the question.

"A little of both." Ziva answered. "I do have some names to run down from my conversations with Bodnar regarding his past missions. They may be people he will turn to."

"Like you Antiques slash arms dealer Favreau?" Gibbs responded.

"Exactly." Tony said. "By the way, the shop _has_ been closed down."

Gibbs and Vance glanced at each other and nodded. That was confirmation that Interpol had been truthful in their dealing with Favreau and Sanger.

"We've not heard back from Interpol regarding your other target. Since he can still be seen moving about, we are assuming that he is under surveillance and will be apprehended when it is deemed appropriate." Vance said.

Tony and Ziva glanced at each other. On the one hand, they had expected this, but they had really hoped he would have been captured by now.

"Well, hopefully he will meet up with a bunch of his friends real soon." Tony answered drily.

"Should we hear back from them, do you want us to tell them that you have left the city?" Gibbs asked.

Ziva shrugged. "I do not think we need to tell them more than necessary. For all we know, they are watching us now, in which case they may try to follow us. We will not let that happen."

"Tony, did you get the chance to mail me one of those disks?" Tim asked.

"Hi, McGee! It will be in the mail today. Have fun with it." Tony smiled in anticipation of the excitement Tim and Abby will have trying to figure the thing out.

"Great, thanks!" Tim said. "By the way, I like the 'new' looks. I didn't realize it was you in the picture until I stared at it for a while."

"Well, that was the point, wasn't it?" Ziva chuckled. "Sometimes we look at each other and don't recognize ourselves."

Gibbs and Vance looked at each other. "Agents, I have a delicate question for you. Perhaps, Agent McGee, you should step out." Vance interrupted the levity.

McGee looked startled, as did Tony and Ziva, who looked at each other warily.

_**Sorry this update took so long. Work has been tiring and I had a bit of writer's block on this story. Hope you continue to enjoy. I love Joel Gretsch and put Stan Burris in as many stories as I can.**_

_**Thanks for the reviews pointing out my boo-boos. I told you I was tired!**_


	40. Chapter 40

"_**Tony, did you get the chance to mail me one of those disks?" Tim asked.**_

"_**Hi, McGee! Will be in the mail today. Have fun with it." Tony smiled in anticipation of the excitement Tim and Abby will have trying to figure the thing out.**_

"_**Great, thanks!" Tim said. "By the way, I like the "new" looks. Didn't realize it was you in the picture until I stared at it for a while."**_

"_**Well, that was the point, wasn't it?" Ziva chuckled. "Sometimes we look at each other and don't recognize ourselves."**_

_**Gibbs and Vance looked at each other. "Agents, I have a delicate question for you. Perhaps, Agent McGee, you should step out." Vance interrupted the levity.**_

_**McGee looked startled, as did Tony and Ziva, who looked at each other warily.**_

Vignette Eleven: Part Nine

"Uh, Boss? Anything you want to ask us you can ask in front of McGee. We have nothing to hide." Tony decided to be strong and truthful if what was coming down was what he expected.

Vance nodded at McGee, leaving it up to him. Tim was burning with curiosity so he sat back down. Gibbs smiled slightly, at both McGee and at Tony's bravado.

"You two are married, correct?" Vance asked bluntly.

Tony and Ziva looked at each other again, not really wanting to have this conversation right now, but knowing they have no way to get out of it.

"Our aliases are married, that is correct, Director Vance." Ziva answered.

"Un-huh. And what aspects of married life are you two currently enjoying, if I may ask?" Vance pressed.

Tony winced and squeezed Ziva's hand. They talked to each other with their eyes, and nodded, knowing they needed to be totally honest.

"That would be _every_ aspect, Director." Tony answered quietly.

Gibbs sat down and rubbed his face. He pretty much had anticipated that this was the case, but to have it confirmed was still a bit of a shock.

"How long?" Gibbs barked.

"How long what, Boss?" Tony asked. "Ziva and I met eight years ago. We became partners eight years ago…"

"DiNozzo! You know what I am asking. Just spit it out!" Gibbs growled.

"For a while, Gibbs." Ziva answered, almost defiantly. "We have been committed to each other since the beginning of February."

McGee's eyes bugged out at this revelation. He gulped and looked at Gibbs. He was surprised to see resignation rather than anger on his face. The timing was telling: after the murder of Ziva's father, coming off a horrendous year at NCIS.

If any lessons were learned it was that life was precarious and it made perfect sense to Gibbs that they would gravitate toward each other, and finally do something about their relationship. He had _seen_ it, but he didn't realize they had _acted_ on it. And now Gibbs truly understood why Tony was willing to risk everything and leave with Ziva, other than a partner's desire to "have her six".

"And when you come back, how do you think that's going to work out for you?" Gibbs asked wearily, not really wanting to get into the details, but Vance had insisted on knowing where things stood between his two Agents.

"To tell you the truth, Boss, we _have_ considered the consequences but we can't afford to reflect on what may or may not happen when we return. Our focus needs to be on what we are doing here, and not be distracted by how you are going to punish us." Tony tried to keep his voice even, but he was not pleased this was brought up at this point in their venture.

Gibbs and Vance looked at each other, Vance raising an eyebrow. McGee studious looked at his shoes, not wanting to make eye contact with Gibbs.

Gibbs sighed. Tony was right. They didn't need to be worrying about their lives in the future; they needed to focus on the here and now.

"You're right. You need to be thinking about the job at hand. But just so you know, I have no intention of punishing you. I'm not the bad guy, Tony, Ziva." Gibbs took a deep breath.

"I understand how the events of this past year can make you re-evaluate where you are going with your life and to make changes. I've also been in your shoes before. You can't pull off a successful long-term undercover assignment as a married couple if you aren't sincerely attached or at least attracted to one another."

Gibbs took a breath. "I can't blame you for that. I'm not really surprised you two finally got your shit together, and personally I hope it all works out the way you want it to. _I'm on your side_."

Tony looked at Ziva in surprise. He mouthed "Jenny?" to Ziva, who nodded, but indicated she didn't know specifics. "Well, we appreciate that, Gibbs. We did not wish to go behind your back, but well…"

"Yeah, I know. The heart wants what it wants. I've been told that before by someone…who would know." Gibbs didn't clarify.

Tony held Ziva's hand. "Thanks, Boss. We…well, I guess to ask for your blessing is silly, but…we would like it."

Gibbs looked startled. "I'm not your father, Tony. Your Dad still thinks that you two are really on your honeymoon and not off searching for bad guys. I think you already have his blessing."

"No." Ziva said. "For me. You are the only father I have, Gibbs. It would mean a great deal to me, to know that…you are ok with Tony and me being together." Ziva's voice broke as Tony rubbed her back.

Gibbs took in a deep breath, staring at the phone. Vance tried to not smile, but he wasn't very successful at it. McGee was totally blown away by this whole conversation, and was trying to figure out how he was going to tell Abby.

"Ziver." Gibbs began huskily. "I want what you want. We'll talk when you get back."

"Ok, well this has been enlightening and embarrassing, so we're going to sign off. We'll get in touch with you when we get to Rome, sooner if we have something to report. Uh, Bye. We'll call tomorrow or the next day." Tony ended the call.

He rubbed his face with his hands, and then looked at Ziva. "I really wasn't ready for that conversation yet. Why did he have to bring it up now?"

Ziva rubbed his back. "He is just concerned about us. He wants to make sure we understand what the stakes are, and to be careful. Frankly, I feel better now that he knows. He understands, Tony. He has been there, but it did not work out for him. He does not want us to have the same sad ending."

Tony looked at Ziva, understanding she was talking about Gibbs and Jenny.

"What do you know?" He pressed.

Ziva looked uncomfortable. Jenny was still a hard subject between them. Tony never was able to come to terms with the guilt he felt at her death. "Jen…never went into specifics. She often mentioned being with another partner, one that she had feelings for. But she had other things in mind for herself."

"Her career." Tony guessed. Ziva nodded.

"She had always indicated her desire for advancement to me. And she did advanced rather quickly as well. She was not an Assistant Director to my knowledge."

Tony nodded. "I would have heard of her before she showed up if she had. Now I know who most of the Team Leaders are, but back then, I wasn't quite as interested in what was happening outside my own backyard."

Ziva took his hand. "When I came to NCIS, as the Liaison, I quickly figured out that she had been speaking of Gibbs. I felt bad, knowing how badly she felt for not giving him whatever it was he had asked of her."

Tony looked sharply at Ziva. "Do you think he asked her to marry him?" He was trying to figure out which wife she would have been and which wives were before and after Jenny.

Ziva shrugged. "I do not know. All I know is he asked her to make a choice and she did, just not the one he wanted." She leaned against Tony. "I do not think Gibbs will ask us to make that same choice. He knows…the consequences."

Tony stroked her hair. As upset as he was to have to put their cards on the table without being prepared, he would be lying if he didn't admit to a sense of relief that their secret was out.

He looked at his watch. "Ok, let's get something to eat and then hit the road. We should make it to Marseilles before it is too late."

Ziva nodded and stood up. Tony caught her waist and drew her to him. He kissed her softly and touched her forehead with his. "This isn't going to end, you and me."

Ziva smiled. "No, it is not."

**Palermo, Italy**

Ilan Bodnar reviewed the intelligence reports that he had been able to intercept, becoming more frustrated as he read.

"_Harah!"_ He swore under his breath as he read about the capture of his friend and colleague Marcel Favreau. He did not know this Sanger person, but he was very familiar with the Hamburg cell.

He tried to discern how this capture took place but the report only stated it occurred. He shrugged. He had not planned to use him, but he had spoken to him recently. Whatever information he had given him was now compromised.

He checked his watch. Officer Rivkin should be arriving momentarily. Bodnar was pleased to offer this chance at justice to the young man. He remembered when Michael Rivkin had been killed. It was unthinkable that the American Agent had not been held accountable for his actions.

That would soon change, and Bodnar would right another wrong. His phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. _"Shalom? Ken, toda."_

He sat in his chair behind his desk and waited for the knock. _"Enter."_ He commanded.

Samuel Rivkin hesitantly opened the door and came into the office. He took Bodnar's hand, bowing over it in supplication.

"_Please, sit Samuel. Would you like some tea?" _Bodnar oozed of charm and friendliness.

Samuel looked startled. Since the tea was there, he felt it would be rude to decline. He nodded once. _"Yes, thank you, Sir."_

"_Sit, sit!"_ Bodnar pointed to a chair. _"I am pleased to give you this assignment. Michael was a dear friend of mine, and it is time that justice has been served."_ Bodnar handed the tea cup to Samuel.

"_I am honored that you selected me for this most important mission."_ Rivkin bowed his head again, trying to not betray his emotions.

"_You will travel to Napoli. I have a contact there, who will give you the necessary papers. You will fly out of Rome to Washington, and kill Agent DiNozzo in his apartment."_ He smiled in derision. _"They are very…haphazard in their safety over there, a false sense of security. That is why it was so easy to kill Director David. The stupid fools!"_

Rivkin was both shocked and pleased that Ilan Bodnar was being so open with him. He smiled tentatively, agreeing with his mentor that the Americans were indeed lax and stupid.

"_When you have returned, we will discuss your position in my organization."_ Bodnar put down his cup, indicating their meeting was at an end. Samuel stood and stammered his thanks, taking a small envelope from his leader.

He strode out of the office proudly, his chest puffed out. _"He had the trust of Ilan Bodnar!" _He thought proudly to himself. _"I will avenge you, Michael and make you proud of me as well."_ He promised.

**NCIS**

Gibbs and Vance looked at each other after Tony had hung up. McGee stood up. "If you don't need me, I think I will go downstairs." He said, knowing they didn't care if he was there or not.

"Go ahead, McGee." Gibbs waved at the door. He looked back at Vance.

"Well, _that_ was not fun. I don't blame Tony for being pissed." He paced about the room.

"You know as well as I do that it needed to be done. Now they can quit worrying and focus totally on their mission." Vance reasoned.

"I don't think they were too worried about it in the first place, Leon." Gibbs interjected.

Vance chuckled. "No, probably not. They should have been, but I guess that's the part of the excitement of being undercover and playing at things that are real. It doesn't usually work, does it?"

Gibbs didn't take the bait. "Maybe, Leon. But if anyone will make it work, it will be these too. They've been heading in this direction since, well, probably since the day they met. I'm not worried."

Vance nodded, agreeing with Gibbs' assessment. "So the question is how will they conduct themselves when they come back? It's going to be hard to act like there is nothing going on."

Gibbs smirked. "You heard Ziva, Leon. They've been together since February. They were in this office for at least three months while they were together and I had no clue about it. I think they're going to handle it just fine."

**Abby's Lab**

Tim practically ran out of the elevator. "Abby! Abbs!" He called out as he rushed into the lab.

"Over here, McGee!" Abby called out. She was cataloging evidence she had just received.

"Oh, my God, Abby you are not going to believe this!" Tim blurted out.

"Timmy! What is it, you're scaring me." Abby frowned at the now Senior Field Agent. "Take a deep breath, and then tell me what's going on."

Tim gulped and nodded. He took a deep breath. "Tony and Ziva are together." He said as one long word.

"Well, I know that, McGee. They're in Europe." Abby shook her head and went back to her packages.

"No, I don't mean together in Europe. I mean…together. You know…" Tim nodded his head and waggled his eyebrows.

Abby stared at Tim. She burst out laughing. "Well, duh, McGee. Do you think Ziva would let Tony go with her if they weren't a couple? Or that Tony would go if Ziva and he…well, he still might have gone even if she said no. But she wouldn't have said no, so, there you go." Abby smiled at her explanation.

"Wait a minute. This whole time, you knew…that Tony and Ziva was a couple. Like they were seeing each other?"

"Well, I can't say I really 'knew'. I mean they didn't confide in mean if that's what you're saying. But it's the only thing that makes sense." Abby was rationale and calm.

Tim looked at Abby, still slightly panting from rushing down to see her. "Huh. Well, I didn't get that."

"So how do you know? Or why do you think it?" Abby asked confused.

"Oh! Tony and Ziva called and Director Vance asked them if they were a couple. They admitted to being together since February." Tim was pleased he actually had some news to share.

"What? February? How did I miss that? Oh, Tony DiNozzo, you got some 'splainin' to do when you get back."

"What about Ziva?" Tim asked.

Abby looked at McGee with wide eyes. "Oh, I'm not grilling Ziva on this. But Tony? He is toast!"

**Marseilles, France **

Tony and Ziva made good time and arrived at their hotel around eight pm. After a late dinner, they retired for the evening to discuss their plans for the next day.

"I really like that Stan can be used as a resource. I vote that we go directly to Naples and contact him. He could use this software and some of these tracking dots. We have plenty."

Ziva nodded. "It would be nice to have someone in the field to discuss things with. We must be careful, though. I remember when I was Mossad we always knew who the other foreign operatives were. I am sure he is being watched."

Tony's face fell at that. "I didn't think of that. Shit. Well, I guess we'll have to be sneaky people then." He smiled again, remembering Ziva's label for the FIB's watching them when they were pretending to be Jean-Paul and Sophie.

**Naples, Italy**

Tony and Ziva arrived around six pm, leaving early for the ten hour drive. They called ahead and made reservations in Rome as well, so they would have a place to stay if they needed to get the hell out of Dodge quickly.

Tony remembered that Stan never left the office before seven, so they parked outside the building and waited for him to leave. Sure enough, he came through the front entrance.

"There he is. He looks just as handsome as I remember." Ziva smiled.

Tony glanced sideways at her. "Cute! Let's get out and follow him. I think he likes to stop at a bar before heading home."

Ziva chuckled and exited the car. Holding hands, they casually followed Stan, stopping to take pictures now and then. As predicted, Stan ducked into a small bar.

Tony grinned in anticipation and pulled Ziva into the bar. They squeezed onto two bar stool next to Stan. Stan looked up briefly and nodded, but returned to his beer.

"I say, can we have a pint of lager and lime, and a club soda for my lovely bride. Thank you so much." Tony asked the bartender in his best sophisticated accent.

Ziva wrinkled her nose. "Why are you drinking, Thomas? We made a deal." She leaned into Tony and patted his cheek.

"Well deserved after driving ten hours, wouldn't say my love?" Tony took an appreciative sip of the lager and grinned widely at her when she shook her head.

Tony turned to Stan. "Excuse me, you don't look local, but you have clearly been here before. Is there anything on the menu you can recommend?"

Stan looked up at the stranger. He smiled at the comment. "Well, it's true that this is not on the tourist's map. I'm surprise you found yourself in this area. But the Risotto here is excellent." He looked at Tony's outstretched hand and returned the gesture.

"Thomas Paddington and my beautiful wife Lisa. We are on our honeymoon."

Stan smiled. "Stan Burley. First time in Naples?"

Tony's eyes crinkled in amusement. He was enjoying himself. "Actually no." He whispered conspiratorially, as if he didn't want Ziva to hear. "We've been here before, a little over a year ago. My Uncle Jethro sent us."

Stan's eyes widened in recognition, then resumed a neutral expression. Stan took a big sip of his beer and shook his head. "I don't believe it." He said to himself.

"All too true." Tony smiled. Ziva leaned over and smiled at Stan.

Stan looked closely at both of them. Now that he knew, he could see it, but if you didn't know it was them…they had done a very good job with their disguises. _"Wait, did DiNozzo say they were married?"_

"So." Stan began, whispering. "Your honeymoon?"

Tony put his arm around Ziva and kissed her soundly, much to Stan's surprise. "Yes, we got married over a month ago, in our home in Montreal. This is a long-awaited trip for us."

Stan understood the truth of that statement and what he was really saying. He couldn't believe Vance and Gibbs would send Tony and Ziva out for this assignment. Ziva was just too close to the situation. And Tony was probably just as invested, if only because of how close they were.

Stan had seen it last year, but if they did anything they were very discreet. He never saw any overt signs that they were seeing each other, it was just a "feeling" he had.

"So, where are you staying?" Stan asked under his breath.

"At the Hotel Majestic, know where that is?" Tony said quietly.

Stan took a sip of his beer and nodded imperceptibly. Speaking louder he continued. "Well, have a nice trip. I have a meeting at nine pm, so I have to go." He shook their hands again, lingering slightly over Ziva's.

She smiled softly at him, nodding that they would see him later.

Stan threw some Euro's on the bar counter and walked out. Tony finished his beer and looked around. He frowned slightly and looked back at the bartender.

"Lisa" He whispered quietly. "Can you see that guy in the back corner getting up and following Stan out?"

Ziva looked in the mirror and sucked in her breath. "No…" Her voice was pained.

Tony grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes in the mirror. "Tell me I'm wrong." He begged.

Ziva shook her head. "We need to go." She grabbed her purse, but Tony stopped her. "Sweetheart, I left something in the car. I'll be right back."

Tony quickly got up and walked outside. He went to the car and looked around nonchalantly. He spotted the man getting into a car. Carefully, Tony took a picture with his cell phone.

He rummaged in the car while keeping his eye on his target. He momentarily saw Stan drive by. Sure enough, the other man put his car in drive and started to follow him.

"_This is not good."_ Tony thought to himself.

_**Thanks for being so patient. Work is taking a lot out of me, so it's been hard to write lately. Hope you stay with me, even if the updates aren't as frequent as they usually are.**_


	41. Chapter 41

_**Tony grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes in the mirror. "Tell me I'm wrong." He begged.**_

_**Ziva shook her head. "We need to go." She grabbed her purse, but Tony stopped her. "Sweetheart, I left something in the car. I'll be right back."**_

_**Tony quickly got up and walked outside. He went to the car and looked around nonchalantly. He spotted the man getting into a car. Carefully, Tony took a picture with his cell phone.**_

_**He rummaged in the car while keeping his eye on his target. He momentarily saw Stan drive by. Sure enough, the other man put his car in drive and started to follow him.**_

"_**This is not good." Tony thought to himself.**_

Vignette Eleven- Part Ten

Ziva joined him outside, and Tony handed his cell to Ziva as they got into their car. "Give Stan a call. We need to warn him that he is being followed. I don't want him bringing his guy to us."

Ziva looked at Tony. "Do you have his number? I do not."

Tony nodded. "I hope it's the same one I used last year." Tony recited the number from memory.

"I hope it is not being tapped. We cannot afford to give away our presence." Ziva looked at him worriedly.

On the second ring, the call was answered. "Stan Burley."

Ziva took a breath. "You are being followed. Do not come directly. Do not engage."

Ziva looked at Tony, as she listened to Stan's reply, hoping he didn't say their names or where they were staying.

But Stan was a seasoned agent. He realized that it had to be Ziva calling, but he actually didn't recognize her voice. "Understood" was his only response.

Ziva ended the call and shakily put it down on the seat of the car. Tony grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "It will be ok." Tony said with more feeling than conviction.

Ziva stared out through the windshield. She knew that as they got closer to Israel the odds would be greater that they would cross paths with Mossad. She just didn't expect it would be…_him_.

Tony knew better than to try to convince Ziva of anything when she was not receptive to hearing it. He remained quiet and drove in silence to their hotel. They quickly checked and got into their room.

They then sat together, holding hands; waiting impatiently to see if Stan was able to shake the tail and find his way to them.

Stan watched his rearview mirror carefully, easily picking out the black sedan. He pulled into a parking garage about four blocks from the hotel. He quickly parked about a third of the way up, and ran to the stairwell to keep watch and see what his "friend" was up to.

Stan pulled back when he saw the black sedan slow down. The car stopped and the driver got out and looked into the windows of Stan's car. Stan watched him lightly trace the NCIS parking sticker on his window.

Stan wasn't too concerned that this person knew who he was, or at least, what he did for a living. He wasn't undercover or a spy and it was no secret that the NCIS Europe and Africa Field Office was located in Naples.

He quickly decided that this young man was Mossad, but was curious as to his methods. If he wanted to talk to Stan, all he had to do was come up to him in the bar.

If he _didn't_ want to talk to him, he was being very obvious about his interest in Stan. He remembered that Ziva had said to "not engage" so he resisted his urge to confront the young officer.

He decided he better find out what was going on, and he quickly turned and quietly descended the stairs.

He knew the area well and very shortly found himself at the hotel. He casually strode up to the front desk and asked for Mr. and Mrs. Paddington. The clerk picked up the phone and dialed.

Tony got up to stretch his legs. He couldn't take the silence anymore and needed to find out from Ziva whether or not he had seen a ghost. "Chasing ghosts." He thought ruefully to himself. In a way, that was what he and Ziva were doing, chasing the ghosts of Eli David and Jackie Vance across Europe, to find their killer.

Ilan Bodnar: a ghost himself in that he had disappeared without a trace and a term loosely applied to spies in general. Tony didn't think of Bodnar as a spy, but more in the line of "entitled thug".

And now another ghost: a ghost from their past that he never expected, and he was more concerned about Ziva's frame of mind than he had been in months.

Tony sat down again, next to Ziva. "Ziva, I have to ask this. I know it can't be, but…that man. Is it really…?"

Ziva shook her head and took his hand. "No, Tony it is not Michael. But it is still a shock to see him. It is Samuel, his youngest brother. I did not know he had been recruited into Mossad, although I am not surprised. He was very young when I…when I was in Israel working with Michael."

Ziva looked at Tony, troubled. "It is disquieting that he is here, in Naples. He cannot have been in Mossad very long, nor could he have had the time to be fully trained as a foreign operative. Yet here he is. We must wait for Stan. I will say more then."

Tony nodded and kissed her softly. They did not need this distraction right now, and they absolutely could not be seen by this young man. Tony had no doubt that he had been told in minute detail how he, Tony, had maliciously and without provocation murdered his older brother. He imagined his picture at their home, where nightly insults and prayers for his painful death were uttered as they ate their supper.

Tony didn't know if Ziva had ever met Michael's family, but it was clear she knew who he was. Therefore he probably knew her as well. And he would certainly know that Eli David had a daughter, now living in America and working for NCIS. Maybe that was why he was following Stan; to get Intel about Ziva.

Tony involuntarily shivered and then jumped when their room phone rang. He blew out his breath and walked over to the desk. "Yes?" He answered quietly.

"Signore, there is a gentleman in the Lobby who wishes to visit with you." The clerk responded.

Tony sighed, hoping it was Stan. "May I speak with him, please?"

"Naturalmente." The clerk hand the phone to Stan.

"Hi." He said simply. Tony breathed a big sigh of relief.

"Room 420. Knock four times, wait, and then knock three times." Tony hung up.

Stan nodded at the clerk. "Room 420." He replied and pointed to the elevator. The clerk held out his hand and smiled.

Stan quickly went to the car and punched the fourth floor. When he arrived at the room, he knocked as Tony had instructed. He then waited patiently as he heard the door unlock.

Finally a muffled "come-in" was spoken, and Stan slowly turned the knob. He entered the room with his hands spread out, showing he was not armed. Tony and Ziva greeted him with guns drawn.

Tony quickly pulled him into the room and shut the door and locked it. Stan stared at Ziva, concerned. She looked very pale, and not the happy person he met at the bar.

Tony and Ziva lowered their guns simultaneously. "Sorry about that Stan. I assume you lost your tail." It wasn't a question and Tony knew the answer.

"Ok, what in the Hell is going on?" Stan had his hands on his hips. "I heard from Vance and Gibbs that an undercover team was over here to hunt down Bodnar. I am assuming that is you two?"

Tony put his gun away and held out his hand to shake Stan's properly. "That would be us. And they didn't exactly 'send us'. We came on our own. They were finally convinced to offer us support, after we caused the capture of some bad guys." Tony was smiling now, but still on alert.

Stan returned the handshake, recognizing it as an apology of sorts for having their weapons trained on him, and for not being able to greet him properly before.

Stan turned to Ziva and offered his hand. She smiled and gave him a hug instead. "We were very relieved when we heard we were allowed to contact you. But we do not want to cause you any difficulties." Ziva sat down at the small table. Tony and Stan joined her.

"How much do you know?" Tony asked.

Stan shrugged. "I reported in to Vance because I believed my Intel reports were being tampered with. Gibbs and McGee were with him in MTAC. They told me they had an undercover team in Paris and that you had brought down an arm's dealer and a member of the Hamburg Cell. They also mentioned that you were able to place a tracking device on a member of the First Wave group. I had not heard about the two captures, so that confirmed to me that my reports were being censored."

Stan rubbed his face. "They told me to go on as if I knew nothing but to assist if approached. Never in a million years did I expect it to be you two guys. Ziva…" Stan turned to her. "I am _so_ sorry about your father. I do understand why you are here. If there is _anything_ I can do to help, I hope you know that I will. Beyond what we've already been doing, of'course. Which hasn't amounted to much, I'm afraid."

Tony looked sick when Stan said his Intel reports were being intercepted. He had in essence been working blind. If Bodnar was behind this, any reference to him would have been removed. "What have you been doing, Stan? Any reports of interest or has everything gone missing?"

Stan was still looking at Ziva, who had lowered her eyes at his words. She finally looked back up at him and smiled gratefully. Satisfied, he turned back to Tony. "Well, not much, as you can imagine. The reports were always a challenge to find anything useful in them. Now they just contain crap. Old Intel, bad Intel, no Intel."

"You think Bodnar is behind this?" Ziva asked quietly.

Stan looked at her again. "I do now. I'm embarrassed to admit that I really didn't equate it to what had happened in DC until recently."

Tony got up, and went to their room refrigerator. He pulled out beers for the three of them and handed one to each.

"So, Thomas and Lisa Paddington. What's the story there?" Stan took a long pull on his beer.

Tony smiled. "Ah, Tommy and Lisa. Those are our non de plumes in McGee's books. Paddington is my mother's maiden name. I am from London, and Lisa here is a native of Italy. We got married last month in Montreal and are now here on our honeymoon."

Stan listened with growing interest as Tony relayed their story. Ziva picked it up. "When we arrived in Paris, we had been gone about a month and a half. I knew of some possible contacts for Bodnar from talking to him about his prior missions. We had sent McGee an email before we left Canada to tell them what we were about." Ziva paused to collect her thoughts. "After a few days, we located one of the contacts. I think by this time we also logged in on a computer at a local library and had received an email from Gibbs, telling us to call him."

Ziva smiled and grabbed Tony's hand. Tony nodded. "We called, and finally spoke with both Gibbs and Vance. They weren't pleased, but they contacted Interpol on our behalf and they made the bust. In appreciation, they, Interpol that is, provided us with an apartment, weapons and all sorts of neat and fun gadgets."

Stan raised his eyebrows at that. "Interpol gave you an apartment?"

Tony nodded. "And this." He brought over the iPad and opened up the combined database.

"Holy Shit!" Stan exclaimed when he realized what he was looking at. "_I_ don't even have this. Can I get a copy of this?" He looked back and forth between Tony and Ziva.

Tony slid him a flash drive. "All on there, including software for a tracking program." Tony reached over and handed Stan a half sheet of the clear dots.

"What are these?" Stan asked, confused.

"They are tracking devices. You can see the code number over each dot. They are placed on the skin of the person who you want to track. Yes, I know; not very subtle, but they cannot tell the disk is being put on their skin. It absorbs immediately." Ziva smiled at Stan's look of consternation at the way the disks had to be placed.

"Once you have placed a disk, or before if you want, you enter the disk code number into the software and voilà! There's your guy, or gal, on your computer." Tony continued.

"We put one of these things on that guy from the First Wave. They could see his tracking marker from DC, so it has long range capability. What we _don't_ know is how long they work."

"We have a target for you to mark." Tony said quietly.

Stan looked up from the sheet he had been studying with amazement. "My mysterious but not so secretive friend from Mossad?"

Tony and Ziva looked at each other in surprise. "You know him?" Ziva whispered, unsure.

"Personally? No. But I know what Mossad looks like. Although I have to say, this guy looks like he just graduated from Mossad High."

Tony chuckled at that. Ziva just glared at him. "Do not be fooled. He may be young, but what he lacks in experience he will make up for in passion."

Stan shifted in his chair. "You know who he is then?"

Ziva nodded. "He is Samuel Rivkin."

At the name, Stan started. "Rivkin…" He knew that name from somewhere.

"I killed him." Tony said flatly.

Stan started to open his mouth. He remembered now, but since he hadn't known Ziva at the time, it didn't have the same impact as it did right now. "I vaguely remember the circumstances." He said slowly.

"Vance made you go to Tel Aviv. You were cleared and came home."

Tony looked at Ziva, who did not avert her gaze. "Yes, I was."

The three were quiet for several moments. "Do you think him being here has something to do with you?" Stan asked.

Ziva shook her head. "Not in the way that he would know we are here. Do I believe he is under the spell of Ilan? Absolutely. There were many at Mossad at the time who did not believe that Tony should have been set free after killing Michael." She stopped, not wanting to relive that time. Tony got up and stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders.

She gratefully placed one of her hands on top of his. "Anger and revenge are useful tools in controlling people. Samuel was too young at the time to know what really happened. He would only know what Ilan has told him."

"So why is he here? And why is he following me?" Stan persisted.

Tony gave Ziva's shoulders a squeeze and sat back down. "He may be trying to get info from you about me, or us. NCIS is known to have an office here. Maybe they know Ziva and I were here last year with you. They must know that you have worked with Gibbs, because they have dossiers on all of us."

Stan nodded, thinking how Rivkin had touched his parking sticker.

"Ok, well, I _am_ known for walking right up to Mossad officers and saying 'Hi I'm Stan' let's talk; so I have no qualms about going up to this guy. And you want me to put one of these disks on him, hmm?"

Tony smiled at Stan, knowing his personality. He could just see him interrupting some Mossad meeting, bringing the beer.

"Yeah, we want you to put a tracking disk on him. Use the first one. We'll right down the number so we can track him and DC can track him as well, especially if he decides to cross the Atlantic." Tony said.

Stan looked at Ziva. "Is that what you think? He's been assigned to take you out?"

"Ilan has sent others to do his job for him before. He sent an assassin to New York to kill Tony's father." Ziva replied, sighing in frustration.

Stan turned to Tony in alarm at that revelation. "Oh, my God! Is he ok?"

Tony put his hand on Stan's arm. "He's fine. He's been with Gibbs since we left New York. They caught the guy and he spilled his guts. Which reminds me: we have a name of someone from Bodnar's crew here in Naples. Or he was anyway, a Marco Cagnani."

"Sonofabitch!" Stan exploded.

Tony and Ziva stared at him in surprise.

"What? What's wrong?" Tony and Ziva looked at each other.

"That's my courier, the one who brings me my crappy Intel reports. I knew it!" Stan was seething. "He's been with us for five years!"

"Put a tracking disk on him as well, Stan." Ziva said urgently.

"I know exactly what I'm going to do, but it will take some string pulling. Actually, I think we can use this to our advantage. Let's turn the tables on them: let him take false Intel reports back to Bodnar. We can put all sorts of stuff in there."

Tony smiled wide as he listened to Stan's plan. "That's brilliant, Stan. Maybe we can flush him out."

Ziva sat quietly. "I think the only thing that will bring him out prematurely would be the news that I am here."

Tony stopped mid-sip and looked at Ziva. "No." He said with finality.

Stan was shaking his head "no" as well. "No way, Ziva. I am not using you as bait."

Ziva looked at Tony, trying to get him to understand. "That is why we are here, is it not? To find Ilan? What better way to find him?"

"Too many variables. We can't count on him to react the exact way we expect him too. He may smell a trap. I'd rather follow the people he's known to consort with and find him, rather than him finding us." Tony was frowning at Ziva.

"We are not here to take him down ourselves, and that includes you being a lure. Ziva, we talked about this!" Tony was not happy.

Stan shifted uncomfortably. "Look, Ziva, Tony. Let's see what we get with tracking these guys. I will get instructions from Vance regarding what to put in the Intel reports. And in the meantime, I will be getting my real reports, so I will have a better sense of what is going on and may have info to share with you. Ok?"

Tony was staring Ziva down, who reluctantly finally held his eyes and nodded in agreement. The tension in the room evaporated as if someone had popped a balloon.

"Well, if you talk to Rivkin, make it clear that we are definitely in DC. The longer we can keep our departure a secret, the better. Also, mention in passing how sad you were when you heard my dad was killed. That will help support their belief in that they had been successful."

Stan looked surprised at that. "So they think they did kill him after all?"

Tony smiled at that. "Yeah, they got the guy to give the all clear call."

Stan considered that. "Well, I'll see what I can find out from Rivkin, but I won't be too pushy. I don't want him to suspect anything. I want to be his new best friend."

Ziva gave a sigh of relief. She privately did not want to present herself to Bodnar, but she would do that if there was no alternative. They were not at that point yet.

They chatted for a while more and made sure Stan was comfortable with the disks. After two hours, he stood to leave. "You have my work number?" After seeing them shake their heads, he gave them his card.

"Call me if you need to meet me, or need me to do something, Ok? How can I get in touch with you?"

"You don't." Tony said simply.

"I get it. 'Don't call us, we'll call you.' Ok, well, be careful. Bye." Stan walked with Tony and let himself out.

Tony locked the hotel room door behind him and turned to Ziva. "Do not look at me that way, Tony." Ziva said quietly. "I will not leave and do this on my own. I already promised you. I keep my promises."

Tony engulfed her in a desperate hug, emotions on high as he held her close. He wanted so much to believe her, but it was his greatest fear that he would wake up one morning and find her gone. He had to find a way to ensure she would never leave.

_**Thanks as always for the great reviews and support! BTW, "Chasing Ghosts" is the title of ep 10x20!**_


	42. Chapter 42

"_**I get it. 'Don't call us, we'll call you.' Ok, well, be careful. Bye." Stan walked with Tony and let himself out.**_

_**Tony locked the hotel room door behind him and turned to Ziva. "Do not look at me that way, Tony." Ziva said quietly. "I will not leave and do this on my own. I already promised you. I keep my promises."**_

_**Tony engulfed her in a desperate hug, emotions on high as he held her close. He wanted so much to believe her, but it was his greatest fear that he would wake up one morning and find her gone. He had to find a way to ensure she would never leave.**_

Vignette Eleven: Part Eleven

Stan waited patiently at the entrance to his facility, hoping Samuel Rivkin would show up. He wasn't disappointed: after waiting thirty minutes the novice Mossad Officer showed up and parked. Stan got out of his car and walked over to where Rivkin was getting out of his.

Stan stuck his hand out as he shortened the distance between them. "Hi there! NCIS Special Agent Stan Burley. How ya' doin'?" Stan was smiling wide.

Samuel Rivkin looked slightly startled that Stan approached him first, but recovered well. "Good day." He returned the handshake. "I am Officer Samuel Rivkin, from…"

"Yeah, I know. Mossad." Stan waved his hand like it was no big deal, this happened all the time.

Rivkin paled slightly at Stan's exuberance and knowledge of what he was, but Stan continued chatting, making it sound as if he had been expecting him.

"Just got here myself. Come on, we can chat in my office." Stan led the way, indicating Rivkin should follow him.

Samuel bowed slightly and followed Stan. His thoughts were racing. _"Could he have known he was going to contact him? How was this possible?"_ He panicked, worried that Director Bodnar would find fault with him. He tried to relax, knowing that NCIS and Mossad have a cordial working relationship and this Agent probably just expected _some _Officer to show up one day. _"Perhaps they always come unannounced?"_ Rivkin rationalized to himself.

Stan threw his bag on the floor and took of his jacket. "Please, sit." Stan pointed to the chair. "Can I get you something? Coffee? Tea? Water?"

Samuel sat stiffly in the chair. "No, nothing, thank you." He answered, not wanting to spend more time with this Agent than he needed to.

His job was to get some Intel regarding Ziva and to give false information regarding Director Bodnar's whereabouts.

Stan sized up the Mossad Officer and didn't change his original assessment: this kid was as green as they come. Stan broadened his smile, if that was possible and began the conversation.

"So, any word regarding Bodnar's whereabouts? I assume you are here to give us some information."

Rivkin nodded. "I am able to share some intelligence with you that have recently come to our attention. He was last seen in Haifa two months ago, our Officers tracked him to Paris and we have been informed that he then traveled to Munich. We have Officers there now continuing the search."

Stan listened quietly, trying to keep his expression neutral as he listened to the bull shit spewing from Rivkin's mouth. He wasn't sure what his end game was, so he didn't call him on his obvious subterfuge.

"Munich you say? I'll report that right away to my superiors. We haven't had any luck tracking him, so I know Director Vance and Agent David will be grateful for this Intel." Stan purposely brought Ziva into the conversation, interested to see how this young man would respond.

"Ah, yes. How is Off…I mean Agent David doing? We are most concerned for her." Rivkin asked, adopting an expression of concern.

Stan almost laughed at how inept this Officer was. If Bodnar was using him to get information, then he had a screw loose. Stan adopted a similar look. "She's doing as well as can be expected. Losing her father was devastating for her. And then Agent DiNozzo's father…well that was just heartless." Stan passed on the lie that Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. had been killed.

"We heard about his death. It was very tragic. And senseless." Rivkin nodded. He didn't realize that he just revealed his true nature, as Mossad had not been informed of the attempt, successful or unsuccessful. By admitting knowledge, Samuel Rivkin had just admitted to being in league with Samuel Bodnar.

Stan considered his options. He had already placed the disk when he shook his hand earlier by the car. He could take him into custody now and let Tony and Ziva break him; or they could follow him and hope he would lead them to Bodnar.

He decided against taking him, mostly because he wanted to keep secret that Tony and Ziva were here and not back in the U.S. Stan continued on in the same vein. "I know Agent DiNozzo well. Losing his father has been very hard on him. They been keeping them both very busy at work to keep their minds occupied." Again, Stan confirmed that Tony and Ziva were still back home.

Rivkin nodded, smiling slightly. He had been pleased to hear how upset both Ziva and especially Tony was at the deaths of their loved ones. _"Your pain is just beginning."_ He thought to himself.

"I am only passing by, I must return to Tel Aviv. I appreciate you taking the time to visit with me." Rivkin stood, having served his purpose.

Stan shook his hand again, smiling pleasantly. He had hoped to talk a bit more, to see if he could get him to accidently spill something vital, but he had no real reason to keep him without making him suspicious.

"Safe travels." Stan said, walking him to the lobby. "Let us know what you hear from Munich."

Rivkin nodded again. "Yes, Sir. We will." He turned and headed to his car. He got in and drove a block before he pulled aside. Taking his cell phone, he called the saved number.

"Yes Sir." He responded. "I have met with the NCIS Agent and gave him the information as requested. I will meet my contact in the morning then continue as planned to Rome. Agent DiNozzo is distracted and upset over his father's death, as is Ziva. It will be easy." Rivkin was supremely confident as he reported his findings to Bodnar's remote answering machine. He hung up and drove to his hotel, anxious to begin his real mission.

Once Rivkin had left his office, Stan strode to Operations to speak to his Field Director, Thomas Batchelder. Batchelder had already been filled in regarding the false Intel reports and the arrests made in Paris. Stan had called him last night after leaving Tony and Ziva, reporting that he had been followed by Mossad and expected to be contacted shortly.

He left out the part regarding Tony and Ziva: not because he didn't trust him but because he had not been given permission from Vance to discuss their mission.

Tom looked up as Stan knocked on his door. "Stan! Come in. I'm already setting up the "let's replace the real Intel report with a fake Intel report before they do" process." Tom had the same quirky sense of humor as Stan and they worked well together. They planned to bypass their courier, Marco Cagnani, picking up the real reports before he did, replacing them with fake ones.

Ilan Bodnar would then receive the Intelligence reports _they_ wanted him to have, instead of the other way around. They considered this a step in the right direction and perhaps a sign that they were going to catch up with the elusive ex-Mossad Officer.

"My friend showed up this morning as expected. He's working with Bodnar." Stan sat down and smiled.

Tom looked at Stan sharply. "How do you know that?"

"He told me that Mossad had heard about the killing of DiNozzo's father." Stan said simply.

Tom rubbed his face. "Is he that stupid? Why would Bodnar use him?"

Stan shrugged. "I don't think he's stupid. I think he is too inexperienced for whatever assignment Bodnar gave him and he was beside himself with excitement and pride at being selected."

Tom nodded and grunted. "And just what is his assignment?"

Stan frowned. "Not sure, other than to give me false Intel on Bodnar's whereabouts. We'll need to put what he told me in the fake reports we have for Cagnani, tomorrow's report I think. But I do have some concerns: his name is _Rivkin_. If I remember correctly, DiNozzo killed a Mossad Officer named Rivkin several years ago, in self-defense. I don't think it's a coincidence that someone with a link to Agents DiNozzo and David's past is now firmly entrenched in the organization that murdered Eli David."

Tom sat up at that. "Do you think DiNozzo and David are in danger?" He asked.

Again, Stan shrugged. "The threat on Agent David is still being taken seriously. And with the attempt on DiNozzo's father…Tony may also be a target. But Director Vance and Agent Gibbs are fully aware of these possibilities." Stan was having trouble keeping his knowledge regarding Tony and Ziva under wraps, and frankly felt really bad about keeping his boss out of the loop.

"What about this special undercover team they have over here. Have you heard from them?" Tom asked suddenly.

Stan frowned. He wasn't aware that Tom knew about the undercover assignment, or that he, Stan, knew about it.

Tom chuckled at Stan's discomfort. "Hang on." He said. He dialed Vance's secure line. "Leon, Tom! How's DC? Can you speak to Stan and make him feel better?"

Stan took the phone. "Director Vance?" He asked tentatively.

Vance smiled. "Let me guess: Tom asked you about our undercover op and you are panicking because you didn't know that he knew. Am I correct?"

"Yes, Sir." Stan answered quietly.

"Stan, he doesn't know details. Just that there is a team. Keep it that way." Vance ordered.

"Yes, Sir." Stan answered again. He handed back the phone to Tom. Tom chatted for a few more moments then hung up.

"Well, satisfied?" Tom chuckled.

Stan was glad he had such an easy going Boss. Oh, he could be hell on wheels, but generally speaking he was calm.

Still, Stan didn't feel comfortable revealing he had met with them. Making a decision, he shook his head. "No contact yet. But Vance did say I was to assist if they did."

Tom nodded. He suspected that Stan actually had met this team or at least had been contacted by them, but he had no problems with him keeping it under wraps. In fact, he preferred that he did: the less who knew about this team, the greater their chances for success.

**NCIS**

Tim and Abby had their heads together, trying to figure out the disk that Tony had sent to them. Abby was fascinated with it, marveling at its simplicity and complexity.

"It appears to have a glycerin base. It might have an electrolyte component, which allows it for it to be picked up as an electrical signal. Or…this is interesting." Abby was squinting at her plasma. "Radioactive?"

Tim frowned. "That doesn't sound safe. How radioactive is it? Is it harmful to the person the gets marked?"

Abby continued looking at her results. She shook her head. "It looks similar to the medical markers used when patients have a Thallium scan. I don't know what this compound is, McGee! This is totally new technology."

Tim looked at Abby in surprise. "So, any idea how long it lasts?"

"Well, it does have many similar characteristics to Selenium, which is a semi-conductor and used in photo-cells, so I can understand how this might work as a tracer. Let me see." Abby's fingers flew over her keyboard. "The closest composition I can find is to Selenium-75. It has a half-life of 119.78 days."

Abby frowned. "But it's not exactly Selenium either. But it's as close as I can get without an electron microscope. And I would think such a small amount is used on this baby that the half-life would not maybe be as long as 119 days, but long enough."

"So, I repeat. Is it safe?" Tim looked pointedly at Abby.

Abby sighed. "It's hard to say. I would hate to think that our European friends wouldn't care if they were causing all sorts of nasty ailments in the people they were searching for. And it _is_ a very, very small amount; so I would say any adverse effects would be minimal or reversible. But it's just a guess on my part at this point." Abby looked unhappy.

Tim nodded grimly. "Ok, I get it. I just want to give Tony and Ziva as much as I can about these things." He looked at the now destroyed tracking disk. "It is, as Tony put it, 'seriously cool' though. They must have some major funding and a room full of scientists to have come up with this."

Abby nodded. "Creating this technology certainly isn't cheap. I would imagine they have a patent on this, but I doubt it's published anywhere. National Security and all. Or maybe in this case, _world security_."

McGee nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks, Abbs. Want to come with me to report this to Gibbs and Vance? You did all the work."

Abby smiled wide at Tim's offer. She took his arm, and let him lead her out of her lab.

**Naples, Italy, the next day**

Marco Cagnani waited patiently in the small coffee shop, sipping an espresso. He would be picking up the daily Intel reports shortly for delivery to the major commands in the area. He smiled to himself: it had been ridiculously easy to switch the reports and give these enemies the wrong information.

He shook his head and sighed. And now he had to meet with this new Officer that Bodnar had sent his way. _Samuel Rivkin_. Cagnani did not know the story behind Rivkin, or why he had been chosen for this task. He checked his watch and stood. He finished the bitter brew in one gulp and threw his newspaper on the table.

He showed his credentials at the main gate of the Naval Support Activity and entered the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station. He waved at the E-3 who was waiting for him, pouch in hand.

"How's it shaking, Nichols?" Cagnani asked in a companionable fashion. He tried to appear as "American" as he could with these men, thinking it would lower their guard.

Nichols smiled and handed him the pouch. "Shaking like a hula dancer on steroids, Cagni."

Marco nodded and laughed at Nichols' joke. "Well, I'm off. Same time tomorrow." He waved as he walked out. As always, he went into the Men's room before he began his report distribution. Once he was in the stall, he carefully removed the "real" intelligence reports, and replaced them with the manufactured ones.

He smiled again. He knew he would be well rewarded once Bodnar came to power. He had hated Eli David and was livid when his attempts at making peace with that animal Kazmi had come to light.

He didn't have anything against Ziva David personally, or that other NCIS Agent, DiNozzo? He was just following orders, which he was very good at. Finally completed with making the switch, he hurried over to his first stop, the NCIS Field Office.

As expected, he was shown right in to Stan Burley's office. Stan looked up as Cagnani came through the door.

"Marco! We meet again. What have you got for me?" Stan smiled.

"Now, Stan. You know I don't read these things. I just carry them around." It had been a running joke between the two of them, but now it no longer rang true. Fortunately, Cagnani was not aware his cover had been blown, so he proceeded as he normally would.

Unbeknownst to him, Stan and Batchelder had already retrieved the real intelligence reports and had replaced them with their own made up version, which was what Cagnani now had in his possession to take back to Bodnar. The tables had been turned, the traitor caught unawares.

Stan smiled wide, and acted no differently than he had before. He reached out and shook Cagnani's hand as always, only this time he placed the tracking disk. Cagnani gave a mock salute and turned to leave, ready to give his next victim his fake report.

Stan waited fifteen minutes after Cagnani had left before he called his boss. "Tom? Yep, worked like a charm. 'Operation Marco Polo' has been instituted." Stan hung up. He wanted desperately to talk to Tony and Ziva, but it had been made clear that he had to wait for their contact.

He figured they would not call until tonight, but that didn't mean he couldn't contact Vance and Gibbs and let them know what had transpired over the last twenty four hours. His brief conversation with Vance in the presence of Tom did not allow him the luxury of filling him in on the latest developments.

He looked at his watch. It was too early to make the call, so he sighed and went back to work on his reports.

**NCIS**

Gibbs was in Vance's office, going over a secured transmission they had received in the middle of the night from Interpol in Paris.

Gibbs grunted when he was through reading it and handed it back to Vance. Vance tried to not smile, but didn't succeed. "That's it? A non-committal grunt? Your team assisted in the capture of the entire Paris cell of the First Wave and you can only grunt?"

Gibbs shifted in his chair. "Well, yeah, I read that Leon. I'm glad they were able to do something constructive. But they are not 'my' team over there."

Vance clasped his hands in front of him and looked directly at Gibbs. "Is there going to be a problem when they return? Assuming they do return and don't decide they like the life of a nomad and being secret agents."

Gibbs smiled at that. "They'll be back. Ziva may be used to it, but Tony likes his stuff. He won't want to stay out there, so I know at least he'll be back."

"You have doubts about David returning?" Vance sat up straighter in his chair.

Gibbs rubbed his face. "I don't know Leon. She told me she wanted to give up that life, which was one of her arguing points when she asked to come back to NCIS. But it is a seductive lifestyle and one that Ziva is very comfortable with." He shifted in his chair.

"They've been working on their own for over two months now, taking orders from no one. It's going to be a hard transition to come back to."

Vance considered what Gibbs just said. "Are you saying you don't want them back on your team, Gibbs? Is this about them leaving without discussing it with you first? Or about them being a couple?"

"None of it, all of it. Hell, I don't know, Leon. I miss having my Agents here. I want them back, on my team. But I don't know who is coming back or who they are going to be when they get back. Things have changed for them and this experience will change them as well."

"DiNozzo's getting a new set of skills. That can't hurt." Vance offered.

"Yeah? It may make him bored with what he has here, though. Ziva has already shown she can step away."

"So you are really more worried about DiNozzo, then?" Vance stated.

Gibbs looked defeated. Vance had hit a nerve. He _was_ worried about Tony, and the effect this whole mission may have on his outlook regarding is career. Prior to this, Tony had been quite happy with where he was, taking orders from Gibbs and being Senior Field Agent. Would that change now that he and Ziva had been running their own op, with no orders or interference from anyone? Deciding when and where they went?

"Gibb, can I offer you a piece of advice? Wait until they come back. I don't think you have anything to worry about, and the fact that you are worried shows how much you do want them back, both of them." Vance spoke quietly.

Gibbs was about to answer when Cynthia broke in. "Excuse me, Director. Agent Burley is in MTAC waiting to speak to you."

He looked at Vance and stood. Quickly following Vance out, he leaned over the railing and called out McGee's name. McGee's head popped up and he ran up the stairs to join them.

"Agent Burley, good morning. Or is it afternoon there?" Vance said as he entered the secured room.

"It's actually twelve thirty in the afternoon, Director. Agent Gibbs, McGee. I have some updates for you. I met with Tony and Ziva. What a surprise that was, I have to say. They look good, by the way, and I think, in case you are wondering, that they have a good attitude about all of this." Stan was trying to be subtle and let Gibbs know that his Agents hadn't gone off all crazed and were out for blood.

"Understood, Stan." Gibbs answered. "So they are in Naples now?"

"Yeah, Boss. They contacted me in a bar. I had no idea who they were at first. I later met them at their hotel. But not before they called to warn me that I was being followed."

Vance, Gibbs and McGee looked at each other in alarm. "Do you know who was following you, Agent Burley?" Vance asked.

"Oh, yeah." Stan answered drily. "Tony and Ziva recognized him and told me who he was. Then he showed up at the office yesterday morning. Samuel Rivkin. Name ring a bell?"

The three Agents stood in shocked silence at the name. "You're kidding!" McGee blurted out.

"Wish I was, McGee. He came to me yesterday. Or rather, I went up to him before he had a chance to do anything. Boss, he's working with Bodnar. I casually mentioned how Tony was doing after his father's death and Rivkin stated how shocked Mossad was to hear about it. Unless they found out some other way, he could only know because he is Team Bodnar."

Stan scratched his head. "I made sure it was clear that Tony and Ziva were in the U.S. and working at NCIS."

Vance looked concerned. "What was his purpose in meeting with you?"

Stan wagged his hand. "Back in the 'good old days' the Mossad Officers in the area always stopped by for a meet and greet and to share Intel. Rivkin made it a point to tell me Mossad's latest and greatest regarding Bodnar. All lies I am sure." Stan relayed the news Rivkin had told him regarding the tracking of Ilan Bodnar.

"I am positive that he was lying, to throw us off. This brings me to another issue. One of the names you gave Tony and Ziva: Marco Cagnani."

"Yeah? You know who that is?" Vance asked.

"Uh, huh. Remember how I was complaining about the lack of Intel in my Intel reports. Well, Marco is our courier. He's been switching out the reports before we get them and giving Bodnar the real Intel."

"Well I'll be a son of a bitch." Vance spat out. "Where is he now?"

Stan smiled. "Oh, he's being tracked as we speak, as is Rivkin. Tony gave me some of those tracking disk things. Here, let me give you the numbers so you can put them in your software." Tim wrote furiously as Stan read out the numbers.

"We have taken the reports before Cagnani gets in and we are replacing them with our own fake Intel report. What he takes back to Bodnar will be what we want him to see now." Stan opened his mouth to continue but was interrupted by Vance.

"Very good, Agent Burley. Tell me, any problems keeping Agent Batchelder out of the loop?"

Stan shook his head. "Not now that I understand what he knows and doesn't know. By the way, Tony gave me a copy of his database that Interpol gave them. I don't know why these things aren't shared to begin with."

Stan frowned. "Listen, Tony and Ziva are concerned now that they can see that Rivkin has been recruited, given his relationship to Michael Rivkin and the circumstances of his death. He is his youngest brother."

Gibbs sucked in his breath at that. "Retaliation? Ziva told me that there were some at Mossad that were angry Tony wasn't punished for Rivkin's death. If this Rivkin is quite a bit younger, he may not know the whole story, only what Bodnar has told him."

Vance and Stan both nodded in agreement. "My guess? I think he has been recruited to take out DiNozzo. Bodnar has a history of hiring out his guns. And this kid is the perfect choice: he's young, emotional, has a personal tie and is easy to persuade. I'm not too sure of his killing skills and he sticks out like a sore thumb. I would think it is not out of the realm of possibility that Bodnar considers him expendable, a means to an end and really doesn't care what happens to him when all is said and done."

Gibbs and McGee looked sick at that. "Well, this tracking disk should be able to tell us if he comes over here, right? If he does, we'll be ready for him." Gibbs said. "Could be he is after Ziva as well. I believe she was an original target of Bodnar's, so it would make sense to go after her rather than Tony."

"Not if his intention is to cause pain and flush Ziva out, for him to make the kill. Look at what he did by going after Tony's father? He is going after those that Ziva loves." Tim gulped, realizing he just said to the room that Ziva loved Tony. If anyone was shocked or angered by his remark they didn't show it.

"You're right, McGee. He is going after those close to Ziva. I think he does want a final show down between him and Ziva." Stan agreed with his assessment.

"Then we need to do whatever we can to make sure that doesn't happen." Gibbs murmured. "When do you speak or see Tony and Ziva again, Stan?"

Stan shrugged. "Whenever they contact me, but I have a feeling it will be tonight since they know I was probably going to be in contact with Rivkin by today. And they know about the problem with the Intel reports. I need to give them the disk tracking numbers as well."

Vance nodded his approval. "Very well, Agent Burley. Continue to offer whatever support you can to Agents DiNozzo and David." The transmission ended.

Vance, Gibbs and McGee all looked at each other, knowing that things were moving fast. "McGee, I want to go to both Tony and Ziva's apartments and have them outfitted with video and listening devices. Hopefully we will know when he gets here and be waiting for him, but just in case…" Gibbs didn't finish the statement.

"On it, Boss." McGee responded immediately. As scary as the thought was of someone coming to kill Tony or Ziva, he now felt he was doing something instead of waiting around to hear what was happening on the other side of the Atlantic. "I've got you." McGee whispered to himself.

_**Thanks as always for the great reviews. Sorry for the delay: I was at the state convention for my Masonic Youth Group that I help with, **__** .org**__**. Wonderful group of girls. Also, I am not a scientist, so I made up what the disk was made of, I have no idea if Selenium even makes sense.**_


	43. Chapter 43

_**Vance nodded his approval. "Very well, Agent Burley. Continue to offer whatever support you can to Agents DiNozzo and David." The transmission ended.**_

_**Vance, Gibbs and McGee all looked at each other, knowing that things were moving fast. "McGee, I want to go to both Tony and Ziva's apartments and have them outfitted with video and listening devices. Hopefully we will know when he gets here and be waiting for him, but just in case…" Gibbs didn't finish the statement.**_

"_**On it, Boss." McGee responded immediately. As scary as the thought was of someone coming to kill Tony or Ziva, he now felt he was doing something instead of waiting around to hear what was happening on the other side of the Atlantic. "I've got you." McGee whispered to himself.**_

Vignette Eleven: Part Twelve

Stan was just getting ready to leave the office when his phone rang. "Special Agent Stan Burley." He answered by rote, gathering up stuff and not really paying attention.

"Ah, Agent Burley! What a delight to hear your voice again." The cocky British accent was full of humor.

Stan grinned. "Is that you Thomas? I was just thinking about you and your lovely wife. I would love to get together again before you leave."

Tony smiled. "How about tonight? The usual place? You know the routine." Tony was reminding him about the door knocks.

"Sounds good, I don't have any special plans. It will be great to catch up." Stan responded. "Seven o'clock? I'll be there." Stan hung up and finished putting his reports away.

He was glad Tony had contacted him. He needed to let them know what he had learned and what he suspected. He wasn't sure how Ziva would handle the news, but hoped any news would be welcomed.

Tony turned and smiled at Ziva. "Stan will be here at seven. That should give us time to figure out what our next move is." He went over to the table where Ziva was looking over some maps and the names of interest to Bodnar.

Ziva nodded thoughtfully. "I hate to admit this, but I like being here and having Stan as a contact. I thought I could do this alone, and then you convinced me that you should help. Now I am thinking we may need more help than I originally thought."

Tony frowned. "Is there something you are not telling me, something you figured out that you hadn't considered before?"

Ziva took his hand and shook her head. "Just reality, I think. I am used to missions with a clear set of plans, goals and the actions necessary to make it happen. This is all…" She waved her hands helplessly in front of her.

"Fly by the seat of your pants, yeah I know. I feel just as nervous and unsure that what I am doing is the right thing. Oh, I don't mean being here with you, and going after Bodnar, I mean whatever calls I make, or people I contact. Anyone of them could be the last person we should be taking to." Tony sat down next to her, and put his arm around her shoulder.

"I feel better having Stan in the loop as well. Now, if we can just figure a way to get Gibbs and McGee on a plane without being seen, I'd be one happy camper." He kissed her hand.

Ziva chuckled. "Where would everyone sleep?" She joked. She looked at the map again and sighed. "I think we should wait until we talk to Stan, especially if he spoke with Samuel or was able to divert their Intel reports. It would be nice to get some actual intelligence to work from instead of making educated guesses."

Tony nodded approvingly. "I think you're right. Let's hear what Stan has to report and go from there."

**NCIS**

Gibbs looked up from his desk as he saw the dark suited man being escorted into the bullpen. "May I help you?" He asked, knowing this had to be someone from the Israeli Embassy from his looks and demeanor.

"Yes." The gentleman extended his hand and looked around. "I need to speak with Special Agent Ziva David. I have some important documents for her."

Gibbs stomach did flip flops. He never expected anyone to come looking for Ziva. Once she renounced her homeland and became an American Citizen, the Israeli Embassy had lost all interest in her.

Gibbs saw McGee stand up out of the corner of his eye. _"Easy, McGee."_ He said to himself. He looked at the Attaché.

"Agent David is on a case right now and isn't available. Is there something I can do to help?"

The Embassy Attaché looked distressed. "Do you know when she will return? It is imperative that she has this information."

"Well, actually no, I can't. It's classified." Gibbs hedged. "I'm sure you understand the concept." He looked at the courier's pouch the man was holding. "Can we take it for her? The Director can lock it up in his office until she returns."

Gibbs held his breath. He did not want this guy coming back looking for Ziva. He had no idea what the leanings were at the Embassy, and for all he knew, this man was checking Ziva out as part of Bodnar's instructions.

The attaché hesitated, and then looked like he was going to agree. "I cannot keep coming back hoping to find Agent David available to personally take charge of this. May I speak with your Director?"

Gibbs picked up his phone and dialed upstairs. He spoke softly into the phone, giving Vance as much detail as he had.

Gibbs hung up and nodded. "If you'll follow me, I can take you to Director Vance now." The man nodded his head and followed Gibbs up the stairs.

McGee watched them as they left, breathing a sigh of relief. Thank goodness they had thought to tell the guards in the lobby that all visitors asking for Ziva or Tony were to be escorted to Gibbs, with no comment.

Although he supposed it wouldn't necessarily be bad if the rumor that they had both left for New York got out to Mossad, but as Gibbs said, they didn't know who their friends were any more. No one could be trusted until proven so.

Vance was standing in his doorway when Gibbs got upstairs with the Israeli. "Shalom." Director Vance greeted the visitor. "I understand you have a package for Agent David?"

Vance indicated he should enter his office and closed the door. He pressed a button underneath his conference table. The man looked around wide eyed as the room was filled with sounds of sliding metal.

"The room is secure, you may speak freely." Vance informed his unexpected visitor. He smiled slightly. "Unless of'course you do not feel at ease speaking to us?" It was not quite a challenge, but Vance stopped smiling.

The Israeli considered his options and decided to take the path of least resistance. He handed over the diplomatic pouch to the Director.

"These are documents for Ziva David's eyes only. Even I do not know what they are. Only that they were found in her father's office, after his death."

Gibbs and Vance exchanged glances. Vance nodded in understanding. "You have my word that these will be placed in Agent David's hands, and they will not be touched. Is there any news you can give us regarding the search for Ilan Bodnar?"

Vance waved his hand, indicating he should sit. He poured the visitor some water and waited patiently.

Taking a sip, the Embassy attaché cleared his throat. "We have a man on the inside of his organization. I myself have not been given any of the security briefs."

Vance frowned. "Why do you have someone on the inside? If he is there, then why hasn't he taken Bodnar? What is he, and I am only assuming it is a he, waiting for?"

The man shook his head. "I am afraid I am not privy to the actions of our colleagues in Israel. I do not know who this person is, whether they are male or female or what their mission is. I only know that it has happened."

Gibbs set his lips in a thin line. This was important information, and Ziva should know who was working on the inside, to keep her eye out for them. He saw Vance had not relaxed his stance.

"I see." He answered. He stood up and locked the pouch in his safe for the benefit of the courier. "We won't keep you from your duties. Good day." Vance curtly nodded and released the room from its security confines.

Gibbs smiled to himself. _"Well, he just dismissed this guy."_ He mused. He indicated the man should come with him and he walked him downstairs, all the way out to his waiting car. He stood and watched to car leave the premises.

He wasn't sure what had just transpired, but he was curious what was so important that it had to be delivered personally to Ziva.

He headed back into the building and up to Vance's office. Vance looked up as Gibbs strolled back in.

"So, what did you make of that?" Vance sat back in his chair.

Gibbs shrugged. "I think he knows more than he told us. Why would he know Mossad has an inside man, or woman as you pointed out, and not know who it was?" Gibbs rubbed his jaw. "I don't think he was lying about someone being on the inside, though. But I don't get what they are waiting for either."

"I just hope they aren't waiting for Agent David." Vance said quietly.

Gibbs looked up at that. "Do you think she let some of those loyal to her father know what her plans were?" Gibbs asked in disbelief.

"Not necessarily. I'm not convinced Agent David knows who is or isn't loyal to Eli. But they know this is _her_ fight. They may be waiting for a moment when they know Bodnar will be vulnerable and David more likely to be successful."

"You're thinking Ben-Gidon? Or maybe Tuvia?" Gibbs asked.

Vance nodded. "The thought entered my mind. Both Officers had an allegiance to Eli David, and also know Agent David's mind as well. They could be strong allies, but I am not sure how they plan to let her know of their plan, if indeed this is what they are planning."

Vance stuck a toothpick in his mouth. "And Agent David may already be in contact with them, working with them. When are we supposed to hear from them again? I would like an answer to this question."

Gibbs shook his head. "Stan thinks he might hear from them tonight. I'm sure he'll ask when they last talked to us. I should have thought to tell him to have them give us a call."

"What are you going to do about the pouch?" Gibbs asked.

Vance looked at his safe. "I can't help but think there may be something in there that will help Agents David and DiNozzo, but I am not inclined to look through whatever is in there. We will need to wait until we hear from them to get instruction."

Gibbs nodded his head in agreement. "Ok, well if I should happen to hear from either of them I'll let you know."

**Naples, Italy**

Tony looked up as the requisite knock sounded on the door. He checked his watch out of habit, noting Stan was right on time. He grinned at Ziva and went to the door.

After checking the peephole, he unlocked the door. As before, Stan entered on his own, but this time he was not greeted with weapons trained on him.

Tony and Ziva greeted him from their seats at the table. "Glad you could come, Stan. Have a seat." Tony said amiably. "What news do you have for us?"

Stan took off his jacket, loosened his tie and sat down. "Well, a lot of activity today. Our young friend showed up as planned." Stan shook his head.

"Couple things: first of all, he is definitely under the thumb of Ilan Bodnar. He was sent to give us false Intel regarding Bodnar, I think. He said they had been tracking him, and now believed he was in Munich. Thanks!" Stan took the offered beer from Tony.

He shifted a bit in his seat. "I think he may be tasked with taking you out, Tony. It makes sense, given the history and Bodnar habit of using others to do his dirty work. I think this kid is also considered expendable by Bodnar."

Tony and Ziva listened with growing concern, as Stan relayed his thoughts. Tony wasn't thrilled to hear he was a probable target, but intellectually he knew that was always in the realm of their new reality. The attempt on his father's life was proof of that.

"I did put one of those tracking disks on him, so you will be able to keep tabs on him."

Ziva opened the laptop and clicked on the tracking software. Stan gave them the disk number as well as the second tracking disk. "That one I placed on our courier, Marco Cagnani. We've been able to pull a bait and switch. We now have the real Intel reports and Bodnar will be getting what we want him to see."

Ziva nodded in excitement, finally seeing some positive action in the pursuit of this man from her childhood. The two dots pulsed, in different areas of the city.

"I was able to contact Director Vance and Gibbs, so they know about these new developments as well, especially about Rivkin and the possible threat to you, Tony. They will also be tracking him." Stan took a sip of his beer.

Tony nodded. "So they know you've been in contact with us?"

"Yes, I told them. They both seemed relieved. But they are getting antsy. Not because Bodnar hasn't been caught but I think because you are getting closer." Stan qualified. "When was the last time you contacted Gibbs?"

Tony and Ziva looked at each other. "It has been since we first arrived. And we feel the difference as well. The game has changed, he is near. I can feel it." Ziva said, her voice almost a whisper. She turned to Stan.

"Why do you think Ilan is not really in Munich?" She asked.

Stan frowned and looked at Tony. "Well…that would be really stupid of Rivkin to tell us where _Bodnar_ really is. He was sent to throw us off the chase." He looked again at Tony for support.

Tony frowned as well. "What are you thinking, Ziva?"

Ziva looked surprised. "Only that it would not be out of the realm of possibility for _Bodnar_ to go to Germany. His parents came to Israel from Germany, I don't remember exactly where though."

Tony shifted in his seat. "You are thinking he has family still there that will protect him? Wouldn't it be common knowledge about his German roots? I would think that would be the last place he would go."

Ziva glanced at Tony. "I know where he came from because he told me when I was a child. But I do not think he made a habit of telling people of his roots. His grandparents were sent to Krakow. It is a painful memory for him."

Tony and Stan sat silent, absorbing this new information. Stan cleared his throat. "Do you think he remembers telling you he was from Germany, well his parents? I can't believe Rivkin would actually tell us where he is." Stan looked defeated. If this were true, then his entire assumption about Rivkin could be wrong.

Stan shook his head. "No, he knew about the attempt on Tony's father. No one in Mossad was informed. He could only know because Bodnar told him."

Tony considered that. "I think we need to call Gibbs. It's still early there; unless they are out in the field he should be in the bullpen."

Ziva nodded in agreement. "I would like to speak to him as well." She got up and pulled out a new burn phone and handed it to Tony.

Tony punched in the number and put the phone on speaker.

**NCIS**

Gibbs stood; ready to leave Vance's office, when his phone rang. Looking at the readout, he cocked an eyebrow. "Well, speak of the devil." He glanced at Vance.

Vance sat up. "DiNozzo and David?" Gibbs nodded.

"Gibbs."

"Hi Dad. Lisa and I are sitting here visiting with Cousin Sam and decided we would give you a call." Tony's voice was unmistakable.

Gibbs rolled his eyes at "Sam", knowing he meant Stan. "Yeah, we were hoping you would call, _Son_. You're on a secure line. Feel free to talk."

Tony smiled. "Got it. We've been brought up to speed by Stan. We obviously have some concerns."

Gibbs nodded. "Well, you're not here, DiNozzo so you don't have to worry about getting killed in your apartment. We have both of your apartments under surveillance plus we are tracking Rivkin. We'll get him."

Tony breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't embarrassed to admit to being afraid of what Rivkin would do if he realized Tony, and by extension Ziva, were not in D.C.

Vance interrupted his musings. "Agent David, an attaché from the Israeli Embassy showed up today with a diplomatic pouch for you. We were able to talk him into letting us take custody of it."

Ziva looked surprised. "Did he say what it was? I cannot imagine anything the Embassy would have for me. Once I became an American Citizen, they essentially cut me off."

Vance nodded in understanding. "The attaché stated that it was papers from your Father's office in Mossad. He was adamant that you have custody of them, but denied any knowledge of what was contained in the papers."

Ziva paled, hearing of information her father had hidden in his office and that the Mossad thought she should have in her possession. She thought back to when she had returned to Tel Aviv for her father's funeral.

She had gone through his homes with a fine tooth comb, intent on finding all personal papers and taking them from prying eyes. She was forbidden access to Mossad, and she had not been upset: she really didn't want to go there and be reminded of her painful past any more than she already was.

Now that she considered it, it made perfect sense for Eli to have hidden sensitive documents, if that's what these were, in his office. Intruders maybe could have penetrated his defenses at his private residences, but they would not have gained access to his private inner sanctum at Mossad. She was surprised that Bodnar did not already have custody of these documents.

"What are your wishes, Agent David?" Vance pressed.

Ziva looked at Tony and Stan. She wanted desperately to know what was in the pouch, but she wasn't sure she wanted anyone else to know.

"We can hand deliver the package to the Field Office in Naples. You can get it from there." Gibbs offered.

"Yes, I think that would be best." Ziva answered, feeling relieved that didn't pressure her to open the pouch.

Gibbs looked at Vance. "Ok, McGee and I will hop a transport and be there in the morning."

Tony and Ziva smiled. "Really, you're coming?" Tony was excited to see them again, missing them both more than he ever thought he would.

Gibbs growled. "Ya' think? I owe you a head slap, DiNozzo."

Tony went quiet at that. "Uh, Boss. Out of curiosity: did you ever look at the security footage of the bullpen the night before we left?"

Gibbs was brought up short by that. "No, didn't think it was necessary, since we knew what you did. Why?"

"Just wondering." Tony said quietly. Ziva reached over and grabbed his hand.

"I'll meet you guys tomorrow in my office, Gibbs." Stan spoke up, not sure what had just occurred. "There is nothing suspicious about NCIS Agents coming to the Europe and Africa Field Office."

"Tomorrow then." Gibbs hung up. He wanted to see the security footage. Tony would not have brought it up if it wasn't important. He looked at Vance. "I'll tell Ziva and Tony in person about this inside…person. I want to see her reaction." Vance nodded in agreement.

Gibbs grabbed McGee and filled him in regarding their trip to Naples. Tim was excited he was going to finally see Tony and Ziva after all this time. He would be lying to himself if he said he didn't miss them, even Tony and his wisecracks and inevitable movie quotes. Things had been way too tense since they had left and he ached for some levity.

He was surprised that Gibbs led him down to Abby's lab and confused when he asked Abby to pull up the security footage of the night of Tony and Ziva last day at work.

"Here it is, May 10th." Abby said as she pulled up the footage. She fast forwarded to the afternoon and into the evening.

"Wait! There! Go back, Abby." Gibbs pointed to the screen, after seeing Tony and Ziva by themselves.

Abby slowly backed up until they got to the frame of Gibbs leaving the Bullpen. The three watched silently as Tony and Ziva looked at each other as Gibbs left. Tony stood and put his gun, ID and phone in his desk, as Ziva did the same.

They stood together, talking, clearly worried but committed to their plan. Gibbs swallowed as he saw Ziva run her hand on McGee's desk then stop in front of Gibbs' desk. She lovingly picked up his coffee mug.

Tony came to her side and touched her arm. He then faced the security camera and made some movements with his hands. Ziva looked up as well, and placed her hands over her heart and spoke.

Tony then held out his hand, taking Ziva's in his. They walked together to the elevator and left the building.

Gibbs was silent. Finally finding his voice he asked Abby to go back a few frames. "There, freeze that." He looked at Tony, his right hand showing four fingers. "Ok, go forward slowly." Tony dropped his hand, the showed all five fingers on both hands, dropped them and showed eight fingers. Abby stopped the tape.

McGee looked confused. "Was he giving a clue? Numbers? Four, ten and eight? Four-ten-eight…Fortunate? They think they are fortunate?"

Gibbs shook his heads. "Rules, McGee." He should have known.

McGee's eyes opened wide at that and then closed, trying to remember which rules Tony was referencing. "Rule No. Four:

The best way to keep a secret? Keep it to yourself. Second best? Tell one other person, if you must. There is no Third best." He looked at Abby.

"That explains why they didn't tell anyone beyond themselves, I guess." Tim looked at Gibbs and gulped. "What's rule No. Ten? Never get personally involved in a case? Well they screwed up that one!"

Gibbs actually smiled. "Not Ten, McGee. Rule No. Eighteen: It's better to seek forgiveness than ask permission." He rubbed the back of his neck. He turned to Abby. "Let me see the footage of Ziva again."

Abby nodded quietly, as unnerved by this footage as Gibbs and McGee were. It explained so much and now she was upset with herself for being angry with them.

Abby went back to the frame where Ziva had her hands over her heart and was speaking.

"What's she saying, Abbs?" Gibbs asked, knowing she could lip-read.

Abby looked intently at the frames, mouthing out the words as Ziva verbalized them. When she realized what Ziva was saying, tears sprang to her eyes. "Gibbs…" She whispered, turning to him

Gibbs immediately picked up on her distress. "What is it Abby? What is she saying?"

Abby took a deep breath. "She expected you to see this, Gibbs. She is saying…You are my father. Her hands are over her heart as a sign of love."

Gibbs opened his mouth slightly in shock, and then closed it. He stared at the image of his "kids", telling him what they were doing, asking for forgiveness and telling him how important he was to them.

_**Thanks for the great reviews! Keep them coming. Will try to update more frequently.**___


	44. Chapter 44

_**Abby looked intently at the frames, mouthing out the words as Ziva verbalized them. When she realized what Ziva was saying, tears sprang to her eyes. "Gibbs…" She whispered, turning to him**_

_**Gibbs immediately picked up on her distress. "What is it Abby? What is she saying?" **_

_**Abby took a deep breath. "She expected you to see this, Gibbs. She is saying…You are my father. Her hands are over her heart as a sign of love."**_

_**Gibbs opened his mouth slightly in shock, and then closed it. He stared at the image of his "kids", telling him what they were doing, asking for forgiveness and telling him how important he was to them. **_

Vignette Eleven: Part Thirteen

Gibbs and McGee pulled into the Naval Facility, and parked their rental car. Gibbs pulled out his cell and called Stan to let him know that they had arrived.

Approximately ten minutes later, Stan showed up, smiling and shaking their hands. "Well, aren't you two a sight for sore eyes? Come on in, I have some news for you."

McGee looked around in interest. This was his first visit to the Naples Command and he was amazed at how big it was. He caught up with Stan and Gibbs when he realized he was gawking like a tourist.

"Have a seat. Coffee?" Stan looked expectantly at Gibbs who nodded affirmative. Stan poured him a cup, and looked at McGee.

"I'm good, Stan. Thanks." Tim replied.

"Ok, well, good thing we got the Intel report situation straightened out. As per our new routine, we are picking up the reports and replacing them with our own bogus reports before Cagnani; our courier picks them up and makes his own change. This morning, we got this."

Stan handed Gibbs and McGee a copy of the report that he wanted them to see. Gibbs scanned the sheet. "Berlin?" He looked up.

Stan nodded. "Frankly, I'm shocked. I was sure Rivkin was giving us false data, telling us Bodnar had been seen in Munich. Ziva didn't agree with me, thinking Germany would be plausible due to family ties."

"Bodnar's from Germany?" Tim asked.

"His parents. He may still have family there. Or not. But it would be a country he knew about and was possible very familiar with." Stan looked at the Junior Field Agent.

"When can we see Tony and Ziva?" Gibbs asked. Stan smiled.

"We are meeting them at a different hotel than the one they are presently staying at. They booked a room late last night, and should be there now. Come on, let's go."

"Why did they change hotels, don't they want us to see where they are staying?" McGee asked, thinking they may want the privacy.

Gibbs smiled sardonically at McGee's question. Stan smiled also and shook his head. "They are still under the radar. If we do have eyes on us when we leave, the last thing we want to do is lead anyone to where they are actually staying."

Tim nodded, agreeing with the rationale. "Still," Stan said. "We are going to be careful and make sure we aren't followed." He grinned.

Stan pulled into a parking garage and got out. "We're going to walk about four blocks to the Le Cheminee Business Hotel. Tony and Ziva are there." Stan said.

Gibbs nodded. They carried grocery bags, into which Gibbs put the diplomatic pouch. He didn't want to call any extra attention to them than necessary.

They entered the hotel by a side entrance and got into an elevator. Arriving on the third floor, Stan strode out and looked around. Seeing the hallways empty, he went to room 350 and performed the requisite knocks.

Gibbs raised his eyebrows as he heard the door unlock. Stan looked at Gibbs and McGee and nodded. He put his hand on his weapon and slowly opened the door.

Tim looked alarmed at Stan's demeanor and wondered if he should have his weapon. Stan led them in, and then turned around.

Gibbs and McGee followed Stan in and stopped when Tony and Ziva appeared out of the bedroom.

They all just stared at each other for a few moments, the air thick with tension. Finally, Ziva rushed to Gibbs and held him, hiding her head in his chest.

Gibbs smiled and returned her hug, rubbing her back with his hand.

Tony watched Gibbs' reaction and relaxed a bit. "McGee, good to see you." Tony shook Tim's hand. To his surprise, Tim engulfed him in a big hug.

McGee pulled back, embarrassed. "That was from Abby." He said.

Tony smiled. "Well, in that case, the hug I gave you was for her as well." Tony looked up. "Boss." He said simply.

"Tony." Gibbs said. He walked over to his Senior Agent, smiling. Just to make a point, he gave him a light head slap, and then pulled him into a hug as well.

Tony felt tears spring to his eyes. Ziva watched the two most important men in her life, feeling so full of emotion it was almost painful.

"Ok, family reunion is over. Let's get to work." Gibbs was gruff and all business. The others all grinned at each other, hearing Gibbs take charge.

"Over here, Boss." Tony directed him to the table where they had stuff spread out.

"First things first, Tony." Gibbs pulled out the diplomatic pouch and handed it to Ziva.

Ziva took the pouch carefully. She sat down at the table and after thinking about it for a few moments, she opened it up.

Inside was a sheaf of papers and documents. She pulled them all out and began going through the pile.

She handed a sheet to Gibbs. "This is a list of those in Mossad loyal to my father. He knew a coup was being planned. I wonder if he knew it would be Ilan."

Gibbs scanned the list. "He's not on here, Ziva, so he must have known that he was not loyal. Which reminds me: the Embassy attaché told us that Mossad had an Officer working inside Bodnar's team."

Ziva, Tony and Stan all whipped up their heads at that. "Who?" Tony asked.

"And why isn't Bodnar dead?" Stan added.

Gibbs held out his hand. "We couldn't get anything beyond someone had infiltrated the group. Believe me, we asked the same questions."

Ziva looked at Tony, telling him with her eyes to drop it for now. She read a few more documents, some outlining his plans with Kazmi. Several names that were adamantly opposed to the plan were listed.

"Here are some more names of potential supporters for Bodnar." Ziva handed the pages to Stan.

Ziva kept reading, frowning at some bank statements. "My father had some bank accounts that I was not aware of. I do not know the purpose." She picked up another document and read it carefully.

Suddenly she gasped and stood, dropping the paper on the table as if it was too hot to touch.

"Ziver!" Gibbs exclaimed. Tony stood and grabbed Ziva, alarmed by her pale face and unfocused eyes.

"Ziva, sweetie, what is it?" Tony asked Ziva, the concern etched on his face.

Hearing Tony call Ziva "sweetie" was a shock to both Gibbs and McGee, although they knew they were in a relationship. Gibbs was more concerned about Ziva than to call Tony on the public display of affection while he considered them at work.

Tony picked up the document she had dropped. It was in Hebrew and while he could pick out a few words, he couldn't really read it.

Stan had gotten Ziva a glass of water, which she took gratefully. They all waited patiently while she composed herself, letting her tell them when she was ready.

With shaking hands, she took the sheet from Tony. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak slowly.

"I am sorry. I did not expect…" Ziva stopped, overcome with emotion.

"Take your time, Ziva." Gibbs said softly. He didn't know what this was about, but it had rattled Ziva to the core. He watched Tony keeping his eye on Ziva.

"This," she began again. "This is a birth certificate."

"Yours?" McGee asked, thinking that was why she was so upset.

Ziva looked at McGee, startled. "No, McGee it is not mine. It is Ilan's." She looked at Tony. He looked into her eyes and got a sinking feeling.

"No…" He began.

Ziva's sad eyes told him the truth of his guess. "More accurately, it is an adoption record. Ilan was adopted by Levi and Esther Bodnar, given up by his natural parents…" Ziva choked back a sob.

Tony put his arm around her shoulder, giving her a comforting squeeze.

Ziva took a deep breath. "Yes, his natural parents, Eli and Rivka David." She looked up at their shocked faces. "Ilan is my brother."

**Berlin, Germany**

Ilan Bodnar threw down the Intel report he had received from Marco. "That idiot!" He swore. "I told him to say I was in _Monaco_, not Munich!"

He rubbed his face in agitation. "Come!" He barked when there was a knock on his door.

"Ah, yes. Please sit. Our young Samuel has made a big error, much to my displeasure." He handed the report to the man who had entered.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "He told the NCIS Agent that you were seen in Munich?"

"Yes, instead of Monaco as he was instructed. If he makes it back here after killing Agent DiNozzo, I will kill him myself." Bodnar wadded up the report and threw it in the waste paper basket.

"He has left then?"

Bodnar nodded. "He will be leaving from Rome in the morning. He will fly to New York and then drive to D.C. He is to kill DiNozzo, then if he is able to make an attempt on Ziva." He formed a tent with his fingers.

"I will not rest until the last of the David's are gone. I would rather have the pleasure myself, but I must rely on others." He shrugged his shoulder, indicating this was a sad but necessary circumstance.

The man nodded, but thought otherwise. _"You are a coward, impotent and cruel."_ He thought to himself. He had been on worse undercover assignments in his Mossad career, but this one was the most distasteful.

Bodnar kept a tight rein on his inner circle, and sending reports had been hazardous. He was lucky he had gotten out the word of Bodnar being in Berlin. He hoped now it had not been in vain because of Rivkin's error.

"Will we be leaving, then?"

Bodnar scrutinized his trusted colleague. "No, we will just be more vigilant. I am where I want to be right now."

Malachi Ben-Gidon stood and nodded. "Very well. Goodnight, Sir."

**Naples, Italy**

Tony came out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him. "She's ok for now, just shaken and wants to be alone for a bit."

Tony flopped down on the sofa and wrung his hands. "I can't believe this!"

Gibbs sat next to Tony. "She never suspected?"

Tony rubbed his jaw and looked at Gibbs. "I would say no. When she was at my apartment after her father's death, she was adamant in her anger at Bodnar for inserting himself into her family, as the heir apparent of Eli David. She made a point of exclaiming, loudly I might add, that he was not 'blood' as she was. No, she had no idea. This makes me wonder if Bodnar knows."

Stan looked at McGee, who looked startled. "Do you think he killed Director David because he gave him up for adoption? That's a pretty violent reaction, don't you think?" McGee asked.

Tony shook his head. "I don't know. And now that I've thought about it, I don't think so. I think he would have played the brother card with Ziva, telling her he knew about the adoption, if only to destabilize her. No, I don't think he knows he had his own father killed."

Gibbs looked at the closed door. This was another major blow for Ziva. He wondered how much more she could take. If there was any good news in this, it was his belief that Ziva would now not kill Bodnar but make sure he was captured.

He knew how killing her half-brother Ari had affected her. He couldn't imagine being forced to kill another brother and certainly not doing it by choice. As hard as this was for Ziva right now, perhaps it was for the best that it was out in the open.

"This can be in our favor." Gibbs said quietly.

Tony looked sideways at Gibbs. "How's that, Boss?"

Gibbs turned. "Tony, why did you come with Ziva?"

The question caught Tony by surprise. "Well, because…you know why I came with her. I talked to you before I went to see her."

McGee eyes opened wide at that. Gibbs hadn't shared that when they had first discovered Tony and Ziva were gone.

"To watch her back, to make sure she didn't do anything stupid."

"Like kill Bodnar. Yeah, all that and lots more. What's your point?" Tony was irritated.

"Well, first of all, I think Ziva will consider her options very carefully before she pulls a trigger or throws a knife in Bodnar's general direction. But if Bodnar doesn't know, this gives us some ammo to use against him should we get close to him."

"Catch him off guard, throw off his balance." Stan interjected.

"Exactly." Gibbs said, nodding at Stan.

Stan picked up the loose papers and put them in a pile. As he was straightening them out, a plain white envelope fell to the floor.

"Uh, Boss?" Stan looked down and picked it up. He held out the envelope for Gibbs to see.

In a sloping cursive, a single word was written in Hebrew on the outside.

Tony glanced at it. "It's for Ziva." He said quietly.

Gibbs looked surprised. "Well, that's a good guess, but how do you know?"

Tony smiled tightly. "Because that's her name, written in Hebrew. I have made an attempt to learn _something_, Boss."

Gibbs didn't know how to respond to that. Of'course Tony would make an effort to learn Hebrew, to learn as much about Ziva as he could. That's what you did when you loved someone…

McGee cleared his throat. "Should we get Ziva and let her know about the envelope?"

Gibbs looked at Tony. "Before you get her, I have something else to tell you." He said.

Tony sat back down. "More good news?"

"Actually, DiNozzo, it is. Remember your First Wave terrorist you ID'd in Paris?"

Tony sat up at that. "Yeah! What happened?"

Gibbs smiled. "We heard back from Interpol. Because of your efforts, they were able to shut down the entire Paris operation of the First Wave. I think they want to give you a medal." Gibbs eyes were crinkled in amusement.

Tony looked shocked but then he smiled wide. McGee just rolled his eyes at the idea of Tony getting a medal, but then he thought better of it. The French had their own ideas about rewarding those who helped them. So maybe Gibbs wasn't pulling Tony's leg after all.

Stan beamed and shook Tony's hand. "That's great work, DiNozzo. You and Ziva should be proud."

"Proud about what?" Ziva asked.

They all turned to see her standing in the doorway of the bedroom. Tony immediately got up and touched her cheek. McGee felt a blush creep up his neck at their intimacy.

"You ok, Ziva?" Gibbs asked concerned.

Ziva sighed and shrugged. "I will be, it is just another item to add to the pile. Now tell me why we should be proud."

"Interpol closed down the First Wave in Paris, Ziva." Tony said softly, smiling at her.

Ziva's eyes widen and she slowly smiled. She looked at the men surrounding her. "I am so happy to hear that. Tony took such a great risk in placing the tracking disk on the target." She placed her hand gently on his arm and looked into his eyes.

Tony gave her a quick kiss, suddenly remembering they had company and it was Gibbs and McGee. He looked sheepishly at them.

Gibbs just shook his head. "Tony, the envelope."

"Oh, yeah. Ziva, this was in your father's papers." He handed over the envelope. He could see her hand shake as she took it.

"It is from my father." She whispered.

Gibbs shifted uncomfortably. "We can leave while you read it."

Ziva stared at the envelope. She looked up startled when Gibbs voice registered. "No. Please stay. I think I may need my family here when I read this."

Tony looked at Gibbs, nodding. He led Ziva to the sofa and sat her down. Taking a deep breath, she opened the envelope and took out the two sheets of onion skin paper.

_My Dearest Ziva,_

_If you are reading this, then my greatest fear has happened and I am no longer of this world. You will have been given these papers from my office. I am sure you have questions, and I hope that I may allay your concerns._

_First, I must speak to you of Ilan. I know you are shocked to learn that he is indeed your brother. Your mother was a child, barely fifteen, when he was born. We were not married until the birth, but her parents would not allow her to keep the child. It broke her heart, but we did as we were told._

_Ilan does not know of his true parentage. I hope you will take it upon yourself to welcome him to the family and tell him of his true lineage. I was prevented from doing so, a condition I was bound to for life of being allowed to marry your mother. Now that condition no longer exists._

_My Ziva, I have many enemies, even at Mossad. It is best to contact Ilan at his family home outside of Berlin. It is a small home, and not known except to those who know him well. You will find him there._

_Use Mossad to avenge my death. Ilan is the logical successor to the Directorship. If he chooses another path, you must contact __Orli Elbaz. She will be of great assistance to you._

_Finally, my daughter, I am writing this as I am about to embark on a trip to America, to see you and to ensure that peace will prevail as my legacy. I have failed. God has not given me the gift of foresight, so I can only pray that I was successful in proving my love for you._

_I have only wanted the best for you, Ziva. Unfortunately, my idea of 'what is best' did not coincide with you dreams and wishes. I know you are very happy in your new life. I only hope that you will receive the gifts that you so richly deserve._

_Think well of me, Ziva. When you tell your children about their grandfather, be kind. I am and will always be…_

_Your loving Papa._

Ziva looked at the sheets again, noting the address at the bottom of Ilan's family home. She looked up to see everyone staring intently at her.

"My father has provided the address of where Ilan is most likely staying in Berlin. It is a family home." She shook her head. "He wants me to embrace him and welcome him into the family. He had no idea of his betrayal." She felt tears begin to form and furiously wiped at them.

"Has a new Director of Mossad been named yet?" Ziva asked Gibbs.

He looked surprised at the question. "We heard about three weeks ago that some woman would be taking over. Surprised the hell out of us."

Ziva's eyes narrowed. "And why would that surprise you?"

Gibbs placed his hand on her head. "Not for lack of talent or skill, Ziva. Just tradition, that's all."

She nodded, accepting his answer. "Is it Orli Elbaz? My father states in the letter that I should contact her for help, in avenging his death."

Gibbs paled at that. Did Eli David expect Ziva to take out his killer? What was he thinking? _Of'course_ he did, and so did Ziva. Gibbs pressed his lips together.

"Ziver, you and Tony already have your plans. Do not let this letter sway you. You are not to go after Ilan and kill him, do I make myself clear?"

Ziva looked in shock at Gibbs. He wasn't angry, he was afraid; afraid she would take matters into her own hands. Just as Tony had been afraid when he had confronted her in March. She looked at Tony, seeing his worry etched on his features.

She glanced at Stan and McGee, seeing the same thoughts going through their minds. She cast her eyes down, seeing her hands tightly clenching the letter.

Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke. "I will not kill Ilan. He is my brother. Enough of my family has died at the hands of others; enough of my family has suffered violence. I will not serve to aid their agendas." Ziva voice was strong, sure.

Tony took her hand in his, relaxing his posture. Gibbs had been holding his breath. He let it out with Ziva's declaration. He went and sat by her.

"Ziva, we will do what we can to assist you. Bodnar will be caught and brought to justice." He rubbed her back.

"I believe you, Gibbs. I am ready. Let us go find Ilan."

_**Thanks as always for the support and great reviews. Hope you enjoy!**_

_**Addendum: after reading, I realized I had the surname of the new Director wrong. It's been corrected!**_


	45. Chapter 45

_**She glanced at Stan and McGee, seeing the same thoughts going through their minds. She cast her eyes down, seeing her hands tightly clenching the letter. **_

_**Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke. "I will not kill Ilan. He is my brother. Enough of my family has died at the hands of others; enough of my family has suffered violence. I will not serve to aid their agendas." Ziva voice was strong, sure.**_

_**Tony took her hand in his, relaxing his posture. Gibbs had been holding his breath. He let it out with Ziva's declaration. He went and sat by her.**_

"_**Ziva, we will do what we can to assist you. Bodnar will be caught and brought to justice." He rubbed her back.**_

"_**I believe you, Gibbs. I am ready. Let us go find Ilan."**_

Vignette Eleven: Part Fourteen

Gibbs nodded. "Ok, Ziva. But I'm not sure McGee and I can go with you at this point." He looked at Tony. "We go back tomorrow."

Tony and Ziva's faces both fell at that. They had been relieved to see both of them and now that they were here, they didn't want them to leave.

"Got it, Boss." Tony finally managed to get out. He put his arm around Ziva's waist and pulled her to him. Ziva nodded quietly.

"Ziver, I don't know what your plan is, but I think you should heed your father's words." Gibbs spoke carefully.

Ziva looked surprised at that, as did the others. "Boss?" Tony said, not too happily.

Gibbs held up his hand. "Hear me out. He stated in his letter to you that you should contact the new Director OR this Orli Elba woman, who he clearly considered as an alternate candidate to Ilan Bodnar. I think you should call her."

Ziva sat down and considered his words. "My father did not know Ilan could not be trusted. How can I know that she can be trusted?"

"You can't." Tony said, his heart sinking. "It's time to let them know you are on the hunt."

Ziva's eyes widened at Tony's remark. Coming from him, it was all the more startling. Tony wanted to shield and protect Ziva. The last thing he wanted was her presence out in the open.

"Tony's right, Ziva." Gibbs said quietly. "Mossad has a person inside Bodnar's operation. He or she may be waiting to hear from you, that you are ready to end this, before making a move. That's the only explanation for Mossad not already apprehending and/or killing Bodnar." Gibbs rubbed his neck and looked at Stan and McGee.

McGee swallowed nervously. "Boss, you're saying that Mossad expects Ziva to make the kill? Or arrest or whatever the expectation is regarding the disposition of Bodnar?"

"I think, McGee." Gibbs replied, clearly not liking what he was saying. "That Mossad thinks Ziva should have first dibbs on Bodnar. Whether or not she accepts the offer will determine their next move."

"Well, then Ziva." Stan asked. "Are you going to accept the invitation?"

Ziva looked at each of their faces, one by one until her gaze was finally resting on Tony's. He looked scared, but he smiled at her.

Ziva sighed. "Tony, can you get me a phone?" Tony gave her a quick kiss and went into the bedroom. He came back out with a new burn phone and handed it to Ziva.

She stared at the numbers on the phone for a few moments, then punched in the code she knew from memory.

"_Ken._" A female voice could be heard on the speaker.

"_Director Elbaz."_ Ziva responded in Hebrew.

Newly appointed Mossad Director Orli Elbaz sat up at her desk. Her long dark hair was pulled into a French twist, with small tendrils showing about her face. Even at fifty years of age, she looked younger than her years.

"_How did you get this number?"_ She asked, even though she was sure she knew the answer.

Ziva took a deep breath. _"I have been calling it for years."_

Director Elbaz smiled softly to herself, her suspicion accurate. "I was wondering when I would hear from you." She spoke in English.

"Please do not say my name." Ziva said softly.

"I wouldn't think of it, although you should know that this is a secure line." Orli chuckled.

"Perhaps, perhaps_ not, _considering what transpired. Are you alone?" Ziva countered.

"You have not changed one bit, which makes me very happy." The Director stunned everyone with this remark.

"Have we met?" Ziva asked, looking nervously at Tony.

"Yes, but you were quite young. I have kept my eye on you. And before you think otherwise, I was not involved nor did I approve of the events of four years ago."

Ziva sat still at the reminder of her ill-fated undercover operation with Malachi. Gibbs got up and put his hands on her shoulders.

"That is good to know." Ziva managed to get out.

"Why are you calling?" Orli cut to the chase.

"I am ready to assist." Ziva answered quietly.

Director Elbaz sat quietly. She answered slowly and carefully. "Are you sure?"

"I am sure, Director. And to be clear, I said 'assist'. I do not plan to be the judge, jury and executioner."

This time the Mossad Director did laugh. "You have clearly embraced your new roots. I do not know if I could be so charitable if our circumstances were exchanged. But I hear your condition and accept it."

Orli pulled up a file on her personal tablet. "Take down this number." She gave Ziva a phone number to call.

"You will receive instruction and intelligence. We have an Officer on the inside of Bodnar's operation. He will be of great assistance to you. He has been waiting for your call."

They all looked at each other. The Director had just confirmed that Mossad had been waiting for Ziva to take her stand.

"Who will I be contacting?" Ziva asked, not wanting to make this call blind.

Orli smiled. "You will know who it is when he answers. I must go. I have a meeting. Thank you for calling." She hung up the phone.

Tony cleared his throat. "I guess she means Ben-Gidon, then."

Ziva nodded quietly. "I had thought of him when you first mentioned that Mossad had someone inside." She directed this at Gibbs.

She looked troubled. "I am not surprised, since he was clearly devoted to my father. But I am not as convinced of his loyalty to me."

Gibbs and Tony looked at each other, knowing Ziva was referring to when Malachi showed up to accuse Ziva of murdering Marine Staff Sergeant Daniel Cryer, when in fact he had been the one who had killed him. When he and Liat Tuvia had come to D.C. later as a protection detail for her father, the past was momentarily forgotten. But Ziva never truly forgot.

It showed his willingness to follow Eli David, to a fault. Tony frowned at that reminder as well.

"So what should I do?" Ziva looked at Tony, then Gibbs.

Tony sighed and started to speak, but Gibbs' phone rang. "Yeah, Gibbs. Hey Abby. What? Slow down. Ok, tell me again." He looked at Tony as Abby was talking to him.

"Yeah, ok. Got it. What? Abby! Ok, here." He handed the phone to Ziva, who looked startled, then smiled as she could imagine Abby badgering Gibbs to let her speak to her and Tony.

"Hi Abby." She said softly, going into the bedroom, taking Tony with her.

"Oh my God, oh my God. Ziva! You scared me so much when you left. I mean I understand now, but at the time I was so mad at you and Tony for just leaving; well I wasn't _really_ angry, just upset, because you just left without a word…"

Ziva had been interrupting with "Abby" as she continued her run-on commentary, but without success. Ziva looked at Tony for help. He grinned widely and took the phone from Ziva.

"Abby!" He said loudly and cheerfully.

"Tony!" Abby squealed. "How could you leave without saying goodbye? Well, now that we saw the security footage I guess you could say you really _did_ say goodbye. Are you ok? Is Ziva ok? I miss you guys so much!" Abby finally had to take a breath.

Tony smiled at Ziva and nodded, indicating he had finally gotten her to settle down. "We're fine, especially now that Gibbs and McGee are here. We miss you too."

"Tony, you listen to me. Don't you let Ziva take matters into her own hands, do you hear me? You need to take care of her. Promise me, Tony!" Abby had tears in her eyes.

"Abbs, you're preaching to the choir here, but if it will make you feel better, I promise." Tony had turned serious.

"Good! Now give me back to Ziva." Abby demanded.

Tony shook his head and handed the phone back to Ziva. "Yes, Abby." Ziva said softly.

"Please promise me that you will take care of Tony, Ziva. He's going to want to protect you. That's good, but don't let him take any unnecessary risks. Promise me!" Abby was adamant.

Ziva looked at Tony and smiled. "I promise, Abby." She said.

"Are you done yet?" Gibbs asked, grabbing his phone back.

"Abby, we're leaving tomorrow. Yeah, I know. We'll talk to you when we get back." He hung up and shook his head.

"Why did Abby call, Boss? Surely not to berate Ziva and me?" Tony cocked an eyebrow.

Gibbs shook his head and led them back out into the living area.

"No. Once we heard about Rivkin, I had Abby keep up a search, trying to track his movements."

"Wouldn't the tracking disk do that, Boss?" Stan asked, confused.

"It would, but it would only tell us he was in D.C. when he was already there. Abby found him on a passenger manifest for a flight to New York leaving from Rome tomorrow."

"He's coming to get me." Tony paled, thinking how silly that sounded considering he wasn't at home.

Gibbs nodded. "It's now imperative that McGee and I return. We want to be waiting for him when he shows up at your apartment, Tony. Ziva…" Gibbs turned to her.

"If you can't get a hold of the Mossad mole before we leave, you let us know what you hear when you do. If there is an actual plan, we can sell that to Vance."

Tony and Ziva looked relieved that Gibbs had just said there was a possibility of NCIS involvement.

"No promises." Gibbs said solemnly when he saw the looks on their faces. "But I will do my best hard sell." He smiled, to soften his remark.

Stan cleared his throat. "Hey guys, this could be a late night. I suggest I go get some food, what do you say?"

Tony looked at Stan with relief and thanks. He was getting hungry, but he didn't want to incur the wrath of Gibbs by suggesting a dinner break.

"A_ working_ dinner." Stan qualified to Gibbs. "We will all be thinking clearer if we have full stomachs."

"Sounds like something DiNozzo would come up with." McGee quipped.

Tony gave McGee a look, but couldn't really argue the point. They decided that Stan would go out and rustle up some dinner. Ziva agreed to wait until he had returned before she called the number Director Elba had given her.

This left Ziva, Tony, Gibbs and McGee alone in the hotel room.

They stared at each other quietly for a while. Tony finally broke the silence. "You watched the security footage." He stated it as a fact.

Ziva looked at him in surprise, realizing Abby must have told him.

"We all did. Me, McGee, Abby." Gibbs admitted.

Tony sighed. He noticed Vance wasn't included in the group, but their message was for them, not the Director. "We did what we could to give you a head's up, Boss."

"I know that_, now_, DiNozzo. You know how I feel about apologies, Tony, Ziva; but I am sorry I didn't think to look at the footage after you first left. It would have changed some things." Gibbs acknowledged.

"Like what? You wouldn't have been so pissed?" Tony suggested.

Gibbs cocked his head. "You said it. I_ still_ would have been pissed, but maybe not as much as I was. Since you came to me with your concerns about Ziva, I had a gut feeling what had transpired, but I never would have guessed the extent of your preparations."

He looked pointedly at Tony and Ziva. "You two took a huge gamble, taking off on your own. The fact that you have had significant success is not lost on the Director, but…"

Tony, Ziva and McGee all looked at each other and gulped. Tim spoke up. "Boss, you don't think Director Vance will punish Tony and Ziva, do you?" He remembered the conversation Vance and Gibbs had with Tony and Ziva regarding the status of their relationship, but he didn't stay to hear their take on what was revealed and admitted to.

Tony watched Gibbs' face. "I guess it depends on what you call 'punishment', Probie." He looked at Ziva.

McGee looked confused. He couldn't imagine anything worse than the team being split up, than Tony, Ziva or both, being reassigned. Stan had been with Gibbs for years, and was then reassigned. They had all been reassigned by Vance before, although in that case there had been an ulterior motive behind it and they all ended up back with Gibbs.

Gibbs looked at McGee. "I told you two before that I am not going to punish you. And frankly, I don't think Vance will either unless his hand his forced. But I have to say that some will not see reassignment as punishment."

Tony and Ziva both paled at that. "Are you going to reassign us, Boss?" Tony asked, forcing the issue.

"I can't answer that right now, Tony. A lot depends on what happens when this is over, how things are when you two come back to NCIS."

Tony and Ziva realized he was referring to their working relationship after being together and alone for so long. Not just their reactions to each other, but how they work with the rest of the team.

"Can you both sit back and take orders and not go off on your own tangents now that you are used to working as a two-person team, accountable only to yourselves? No, don't answer that now. You can't, not until you are back in the saddle. I think _that_ more than anything will determine both of your futures."

Ziva sat quietly, thinking about what Gibbs had just said. To her surprise, Gibbs turned to McGee and told him he wanted to speak to Tony and Ziva privately.

He took their arms and led them into the bedroom and closed the door. Tony and Ziva looked at each other in concern.

"You already gave me a head slap, Boss." Tony said lightly, trying to diffuse the tension wafting off of him and Ziva.

"Don't need privacy to do that, DiNozzo." Gibbs responded.

He turned to them, looking uncomfortable, but with a new resolve. "You asked me for your blessing, when we had our last call. I wasn't willing to give it, until I saw you two in person."

Ziva held her breath and took Tony's hand. "Boss?" Tony's voice cracked with emotion.

"I've taken things into my own hands in the past. I can't fault you for doing the same. I knew this was only a matter of time, deciding to go after Eli's killer. Tony, I'm proud of you that you stepped up and took a stand for Ziva. And Ziva, I am proud of you that you allowed Tony to come with you instead of shooting him down." Gibbs took a deep breath.

"I can see your commitment to each other, as much as you try to keep it under wraps." He smiled at Tony discomfiture at this revelation. "I knew it was also only a matter of time before one of you got tired of the games and finally made a decision, one way or the other." This time he did head slap Tony.

"What was that for, Boss?" Tony looked shocked as he touched his head where Gibbs had slapped him.

Ziva chuckled. Gibbs looked at Tony. "For taking so long, DiNozzo. Ya' think?" His voice dripped of sarcasm. "Ziva…" Gibbs opened his arms and she rushed into them.

"You are my kids. You make me mad, and you make me proud. Just like any father. If you need my blessing, you have it." Gibbs kissed the top of her head.

Ziva felt the tears flow, relief rushing through her at his words. She now felt a strong need to end this mission, and bring Bodnar to justice.

"Thank you." She whispered softly, her voice filled with emotion.

"Tony." Gibbs held out his hand.

Tony looked at Gibbs' outstretched hand. He ignored it and engulfed Gibbs in a big hug. "Ok, Tony. I get it."

"I don't think you do, Boss." Tony said, just as overcome as Ziva.

"Did my Dad really say he thought we actually on own honeymoon?" Tony smiled, thinking how thrilled his father would have been. His determination that Tony and Ziva belonged together was legendary and had put a bit of a crimp in Tony's plans. The last thing he had wanted was Ziva thinking Tony finally caved because his father had talked him into it.

"Well, you did ask for your mother's engagement ring." He retorted, taking Ziva's hand to look at the special piece of jewelry.

Ziva blushed, but shook her head at her reaction since they really weren't married, or engaged for that matter.

Gibbs smiled at her reaction and looked pointedly at Tony. To his relief, he saw Tony nod, acknowledging his unspoken words. "Ok, let's go back out before McGee dies of curiosity; or is worried that I am killing you myself."

Tony and Ziva clasped hands and left the bedroom with Gibbs. Tim stood when they came out, clearly relieved everyone looked unscathed. He didn't miss Tony and Ziva holding hands, so he guessed that Gibbs gave them the thumbs up on their new relationship.

Two hours later, they had finished their dinner of spaghetti Bolognese with meatballs, garlic bread and red wine. Gibbs insisted they cool it on the alcohol, stating it would negate the clear heads the food had given them.

McGee asked Stan about his upcoming nuptials. Stan grinned. "Melanie and I are looking at September, but it depends on when we can get the church. We are both Catholic, so the Mission books up quickly."

"Mission?" Ziva asked, surprised at the word.

"In California the old Spanish Catholic churches are called Missions. Melanie's family church is Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside." Stan told her.

"So what are your plans after that? Go to where ever she is assigned? How will that work for you?" Gibbs asked the question.

Stan took a bite of bread. "Already talked to Vance. Essentially, I will be a consultant Agent, or an Agent at Large, whichever you prefer. I will be working as needed on cases wherever we are. I'll be able to work from anywhere. No more Agent Afloat." Stan was pleased.

Tony and Ziva smiled at each other. Tony cleared his throat. "You'll also be able to stay home with the kids, if you have some." He said slyly.

Stan blushed, but didn't let Tony rile him. "Good idea, Tony. Our thoughts exactly: Daddy daycare."

They all chuckled at that. The quiet, friendly dinner had done wonders in relieving everyone's stress levels.

Ziva looked around at her family. "I think I should make that call now." She said quietly.

The light mood quickly dissipated at Ziva's announcement. Tony nodded resignedly and went and got another phone.

"How many of those do you have, Tony?" McGee asked in surprise.

"One call, one phone. Tons." Tony answered, handing the phone to Ziva.

Gibbs nodded in approval. He watched Ziva carefully as she looked at the paper and punched in the number. After three rings, the phone was answered.

"Shalom." The deep male voice answered. Everyone except Stan instantly recognized Malachi's voice. Tony looked at Stan and nodded, telling him their suspicions had been correct.

"Shalom." Ziva responded softly. They could all hear Malachi's sharp intake of breath at Ziva's voice.

"How did you get this number?" He asked quickly.

"Director Elba." Ziva answered, hoping that would be enough.

Apparently it was. The relief in Malachi's voice was evident when he spoke again. "Where are you? Are you ready?"

"You do not need to know where I am, Malachi. I am ready to assist, not to kill. This has been relayed to your Director and accepted."

Ziva reminded Malachi that she was no longer Mossad by saying "your Director" in case he forgot momentarily what her allegiance was.

He was quiet as he absorbed her words and meaning. "I need to send you information. Where do I send it?"

Stan pointed to himself. Ziva nodded. "You will send what you need to the NCIS Field Office in Naples, attention Special Agent Stan Burley. He will know how to get it to us."

"NCIS? Will that not raise a white flag?" Malachi protested.

Ziva rolled her eyes. "That is a _red_ flag, Malachi. And you have no other choice if you want my involvement. Otherwise I suggest you get off of your ass and take Bodnar in yourself. It matters not to me." Ziva snapped.

Malachi sat stunned. Ziva had made it clear that she had no intention of killing Ilan Bodnar, which was his own preference for handling this mission. He had been frustrated that he had been prevented from making a move, out of deference to Ziva.

Now that she had made contact, he didn't like what her end game was. But she made it clear that Director Elba had heard her and agreed with her stipulations. He had no choice but to agree.

"Very well." He acknowledge finally. He took down the address.

"How can I reach you?" He asked.

"You cannot, Malachi. I will reach you when I receive the package. Is this number good?" She responded.

"Yes, you may use this number." Malachi sighed.

"Thank you." Ziva ended the call.

"Well, ol' Mal didn't sound too happy." Tony said drily.

"No." Ziva agreed. "I think he wants to kill Ilan."

"Good, maybe he can save us all the trouble by killing him himself. Sorry, Ziva." McGee gulped when he saw the look on her face.

"I know you just found out he's your brother, but he killed your father…and Mrs. Vance." McGee was conflicted by this new passive stance.

"I do not think I can kill him, McGee." Ziva said softly. "I am well aware of his sins. As I said to my father, his sins are too great. Can I be the one to pass judgment on him? I am not sure. Can you be sure? I think Ilan's future may be up to the decisions of others."

McGee looked down. Tony put his hand on his shoulder. "McGee, we all have hard decisions to make. I'm not sure that when I finally see him _I_ won't blow him away. But I'm going to make every effort to control my emotions and instincts and handle this the way Ziva wants, for now." Tony qualified.

Ziva had looked at Tony in alarm when he said he might blow Bodnar away himself, but she understood the truth of his words. The truth is none of them really knew how they would proceed until they came face to face with their elusive prey.

_**Marina Sirtis was born in 1955, but since no one on this show is their real age I felt comfortable making her character eight years younger. Loved Stan on the ep Tuesday night and the blatant TIVA! Lots of fanfic coming out now about the last five, so hope you will stick with mine. Remember, you read it here first! Haha. Please review Thanks!**_


	46. Chapter 46

"_**I do not think I can kill him, McGee." Ziva said softly. "I am well aware of his sins. As I said to my father, his sins are too great. Can I be the one to pass judgment on him? I am not sure. Can you be sure? I think Ilan's future may be up to the decisions of others."**_

_**McGee looked down. Tony put his hand on his shoulder. "McGee, we all have hard decisions to make. I'm not sure that when I finally see him I won't blow him away. But I'm going to make every effort to control my emotions and instincts and handle this the way Ziva wants, for now." Tony qualified.**_

_**Ziva had looked at Tony in alarm when he said he might blow Bodnar away himself, but she understood the truth of his words. The truth is none of them really knew how they would proceed until they came face to face with their elusive prey.**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own CBS, NCIS or its character. Damn it.**_

Vignette Eleven: Part Fifteen

Tony sat quietly for a few moments, thinking. "McGee did you and Abby get a chance to check out those disks?"

Tim looked surprised at the change of subjects, but he nodded. "Abby's not sure of the exact composition but she thinks it has a radioactive component, kind of like what they use in medical testing. The closest thing she could come was to Selenium-75." Tony and Ziva looked blank at that.

"What kind of side effects?" Tony asked quietly. Tim again looked surprised but he shrugged. "With this small amount? Unknown, but doubtful it would be anything horrible, otherwise I can't imagine Interpol would use it."

"Unless they are really a secret weapon to kill their targets instead of tracking them." Stan offered.

They all looked at Stan with their mouths open. Gibbs whipped his head back to McGee. "Is that possible?"

McGee looked stunned. "I don't know, Boss. But I think it would be highly unlikely."

Tony rubbed his face. "Not to mention Ziva and I could put them on anyone we felt like trailing. For them to not tell us something like that would be…"

"Like committing murder." Gibbs added. "Why are you so curious about the disks anyway, Tony?" Gibbs stared at him.

Tony squirmed in his seat. "I put one on my arm." He said quietly. Ziva gasped and then Gibbs yelled "You did what?"

Ziva grabbed his hand. "Why would you do that? Why didn't you tell me?" Her face was pale and constricted.

Tony rubbed her hand. "I didn't tell you before because I didn't want you to think I was only doing it to get you to let me place one on you, Ziva. Look, anything can happen from this point on. We can get separated. One of us could get taken. What better way to keep tabs on each other?" He pleaded with his eyes, begging her to understand.

"You were still worried about me leaving, weren't you?" She asked softly, trying not to sound hurt. She knew Tony and realized that he would do anything to keep her safe.

"You were hoping I would decide to place a disk on myself, so you would be able to track me should something happen."

Tim looked surprised. "I thought you said the 'target' had no idea they were being placed. Why couldn't you have just put one on Ziva yourself, Tony, if you were that worried?"

Tony and Ziva's eyes were locked on each other, not saying a word, not needing to.

"Trust." Everyone looked up as Gibbs spoke. "McGee, you can't lie to your partner in the field, otherwise it puts you both at risk."

Tony looked down, then back to Ziva, speaking to McGee. "Can we find out if these things are safe or not? I really don't want to die because of some stupid piece of technology." Ziva sat up at that, suddenly frightened.

"Maybe we can get something out of Interpol." Stan suggested. "This is their baby; they should know what it can or cannot do."

Gibbs nodded. He walked over to the window and called Vance. "Director? Yes, a bit of disturbing news. Bodnar is the child of Eli David and Ziva's mother. Adoption record, in the pouch with some other documents. Sir, I need you to contact Interpol about the tracking disks. We need to find out what they are and if there are any adverse effects for the person that gets tagged with them. Yeah, I have a real good reason for asking but I'm not going into it right now. Yep, this number is good." Gibbs hung up and looked over at the group.

"Vance will call D'Arcy." He informed them.

Gibbs asked Tony and Ziva to show him what their next plan was and soon they were busy going over maps of Berlin.

"A lot of what you decide to do will come from whatever information Ben-Gidon sends you." Stan reminded them, after twenty minutes of sifting through their Intel.

"That is true." Ziva said. "I do not remember Berlin being specifically mention by Ilan, the few times he spoke of Germany. But I do remember something about a synagogue that was destroyed during the war and was never rebuilt, at least at that time. The members decided it should remain as a memorial to those who had suffered atrocities." She looked unsettled.

Tim took the lap top and Googled "synagogues destroyed WWII and Germany" and came up with a heartbreaking listing of multiple sites. There were ten in Berlin.

"_Kristallnacht."_ Gibbs said quietly. "Night of the Broken Glass, 1938."

Everyone was silent, each lost in their own thoughts. They all jumped when Gibbs' phone rang.

"Director? That was quick." Gibbs answered. He listened carefully as Vance relayed the wanted information. "Ok, Leon, thanks. Yes, McGee and I are heading back tomorrow. Rivkin is schedule to board a plane for New York from Rome. We want to be there to meet him at DiNozzo's apartment. Will do."

Gibbs looked at Tony, whose face was pale. "Vance just talked to D'Arcy. You don't need to worry." He looked at Tim. "He wouldn't give up the composition but he did say they were similar to the thing you said earlier."

"Selenium-75." McGee interrupted.

"Yeah, that. But not that. Anyway, it lasts for sixty days, and the only bad effect they have come up with has been an increased sex drive, if you want to call that _bad_." Gibbs stared at Tony.

They all looked at each other, and then burst out laughing. "Well, that explains a lot." Ziva said drily, and then put her hand over her mouth when she remembered who was in the room.

Gibbs and McGee both grimaced at the remark. "Too much information, Ziva. But I'm happy to know it's not going to kill you, DiNozzo. Now I know _I_ still have that option." Gibbs growled.

Tony gulped at that, but then smiled when he saw Gibbs smile slightly. Ziva watched them closely then went into the other room. She came out with a sheet of dots.

"Here." She said to Tony. He took the sheet, confused. His eyes opened wide when Ziva held out her wrist.

"Are you sure?" He asked, knowing what it took for her to submit to something like this.

"Yes. I do not want to be lost. If I am taken, I want to be found. Please, Tony." Ziva looked deeply into his eyes.

Tony looked down at the sheet and pulled the next one off. Taking her hand in his, he gently touched her wrist with his fingertip.

It was simple, yet the most intimate act they had ever performed. The significance was not lost on Gibbs, realizing the trust his two Agents had been able to find with each other.

"That's it?" Tim asked in disbelief, breaking the spell.

Tony looked exasperated. "Well, what did you expect, McDisappointed? Fireworks? Swooning? The person getting marked is not supposed to know, it's kind of the whole idea." Ziva just chuckled.

Stan got down to business. "Let's get you two into the tracking program. I'll put you in mine as well, you too Boss." Stan figured the more people keeping an eye on them the better.

"This is like, really great and all; but promise me you won't watch our movements every day. This is in case we _need_ to be tracked." Tony said nervously.

"Hey, no concerns DiNozzo. No one's going to spy on you and Ziva." Stan chuckled.

Tony breathed a sigh of relief. He knew the dots didn't show what the person was actually doing, but the idea of their movements being watched and catalogued wasn't something he really wanted to entertain.

Gibbs looked at his watch. "I guess we better head out. McGee and I can stay at base housing."

"Not necessary, Boss. You can stay here. Ziva and I have our own place." Tony offered.

Gibbs looked around. "Well, ok if you're sure. Our bags are in Stan's car four blocks away."

"I'll go get them, Boss." Stan stood up. He put on a light jacket and headed out.

Gibbs sat on the sofa and rubbed the back of his neck. "Our transport leaves at 3 p.m. We'll get back in plenty of time to intercept Rivkin."

"What is your plan with him, Gibbs?" Ziva asked quietly.

"Well, I'm hoping he'll give up some Intel for us. He may be good leverage, in the case of a hostage situation, although Stan seems to think he's expendable." Gibbs considered that line of thinking.

"If he goofed and wasn't supposed to say Munich and Bodnar found out about it, I would say he is definitely on the shit-list, Boss." Tony commented drily.

McGee chuckled at that. Gibbs just glared at him. "He may be of some use to us. A lot will depend on when you get whatever it is Ben-Gidon is sending you."

Ziva nodded. "I do not like Malachi being involved. I do not think it was a wise choice, he can be very hot-headed."

"Sounds like every Mossad Officer I ever met." Tony said innocently.

Ziva rounded on him, shocked. When she saw his smile, she relaxed but didn't change her mind. "You do not know him as well as I do. I cannot imagine he has been very patient waiting for my contact. He loved my father. He would want to kill Ilan himself."

"Then let him, Ziva." Gibbs said softly. "There is no rule in my book, or any inter-agency memo that's crossed my desk, stating that only Ziva David can pull the trigger."

"Or throw the knife." Tony offered.

"Or snap his neck." Tim added.

Ziva looked at her family in exasperation. "Yes, I know you do not want Ilan to die by my hand, and I have already promised that I will not run into the room with my weapons firing and knives throwing and my hand twisting his head off of his pathetic little neck!"

The room was silent for a few moments. "Tell us how you really feel, Ziva." Tony said, his voice shocked at the intensity of her outburst.

Ziva sat down next to Gibbs and put her face in her hands. "I am sorry. This…I never expected…I thought…"

"You thought it would be easy, nothing to think about, no one to worry about you or for you to worry about them, no one to answer to. Ziva, no one will question you if you are the one to end Bodnar's life. Least of all _me_. But you need to make sure that it is something _you_ can live with for the rest of your life. Especially given the reason you just gave us why you_ won't_ be the one to kill him." Gibbs had his hand on her back, speaking so low that Tim and Tony could barely hear him.

Ziva raised her head, tear tracks visible on her cheeks. Tony sat down next to her and took her hands. "Ziva, that's all I want. I want justice. You want revenge. We can both have it, but we have to live with our decisions. I just want you to make a decision you can live with."

Ziva eyed him sadly. "Will _you_ be able to live with my decision? Will you think badly of me if I choose revenge? What am I saying? He is my brother!" The conflict in Ziva's eyes was heartbreaking.

Tony pulled her into a crushing embrace, kissing her hair. "I will always be here. _Aht lo leh-vahd_." He said, reminding her of what he had told her when she left to go to Israel and attend to her father's funeral.

Tony looked at Gibbs, worried. He did _not_ want Ziva to go "all Mossad", as he called it, for the simple reason that it was more dangerous for her. He didn't want her to take any unnecessary risks. He'd much rather let Malachi do their dirty work for them. But he knew he had to abide by whatever decision Ziva came to.

Gibbs nodded, reading Tony's thoughts. A light knocking on the door interrupted their musings. Tim looked through the peek hole and turned back. "Stan." He whispered.

He let Stan back in, who was carrying their two bags. He stopped in his tracks at the tableau-like scene in front of him. "What did I miss?" He asked, unsure if he really wanted to know.

"Everything's fine, Stan." Gibbs said. He gave Ziva another small pat on the back and stood up to grab his bag from Stan. "Good thing for you there are two beds, McGee." He quipped, lightening the mood.

Tim had sat silent through Ziva's outburst and Gibbs and Tony's subsequent pleas to her. He never had considered that Ziva would take it upon herself to go after Bodnar, not until she and Tony had left.

But even then, he thought they had planned it together. After what had just transpired, he realized that Ziva's original plan was to go it alone. He was astonished Tony had been able to talk her into taking him with her, but then he reconsidered. Hearing them say they were a couple, and then seeing them together acting like a couple were two different things.

He realized that he really didn't see it before, but it had been there all along. He couldn't believe how naïve he had been. They had probably been seeing each other for years, just not exclusively and in a committed relationship.

He thought back to their undercover assignment as a married couple. The two FBI Agents were convinced that Tony and Ziva had actually had sex while on this assignment. Tim had disagreed, thinking they didn't even like each other that much.

Now he mentally slapped the back of his head. One by one, little pieces started falling into place, pieces of a puzzle that he had not been able to see until now. The final pieces were the big ones, and they all happened with in the past year, since the bombing; the last large piece the killing of Eli David.

Tim figured out that had been the catalyst that had finally brought these two together and on the same page. In a way, it made him sad because the team dynamic would now be forever changed; maybe the team itself.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Now was not the time to be thinking such things. He looked up as Gibbs came back from the bedroom. He realized that Tony and Ziva were getting ready to leave.

They were reluctant to go, knowing it could be a while before they saw each other again. Ziva hugged Gibbs tightly, needing his comfort and support. He kissed the top of her head and stroked her back gently.

Tony watched, smiling slightly. He knew what Gibbs was to Ziva, more than anyone. He always felt that Gibbs had a special place for Ziva in his heart, almost from day one. It was only after Ziva had told him about Ari and Gibbs' basement did he understand the depth of their relationship, a relationship that had been tested through the years but always righted itself. Just like the sea-worthy sailboats Gibbs built in his basement.

"Tony." Gibbs turned to him. Tony shook his hand and then gave him a quick hug. Gibbs slapped him on the back. "Watch our girl." Gibbs whispered to him.

"Always." Tony looked him in the eye, his voice low and serious.

Gibbs nodded, and pulled back. Ziva was hugging McGee. Tony was surprised to see how emotional Tim was, like he was saying goodbye for good.

"Hey, come on McMorbid. We'll see you soon. Come here, give me some love." Tony held open his arms.

Tim rolled his eyes, but hugged Tony anyway. "Nothing's changed, Tim." Tony said quietly, surprising McGee. "And we'll be back."

Tim was mad at himself for feeling tears spring to his eyes. "You better be, Tony." McGee said, his voice hoarse.

Tony smiled. He looked at Ziva and put his arm around her. "We need to go." They looked at Gibbs and McGee one last time.

"We'll see you soon." Tony said, not wanting to end the evening.

"You better go, you two." Gibbs said roughly. They nodded and slowly went to the door. With one look back, they opened the door and were gone.

Gibbs sighed heavily and sat down on the sofa.

"Boss, you ok?" McGee wasn't sure he should ask the question, but did anyway.

Gibbs looked wearily at McGee. "Yeah, McGee. I'm ok. Hit the rack, we have an early morning."

"We do?" Tim asked, surprised since their plane didn't leave until 3 p.m.

"Well, yeah McGee. We're going to be in Stan's office. Hopefully, that package for Ziva will arrive before we leave. I want to get a look at it."

"Before Ziva sees it?" Tim was shocked that Gibbs would open it first.

"I don't think Ziva and Tony will show up at Stan's office, McGee. I'm not going to take anything. But I want to get the ball rolling ASAP if there is something I can use to convince Director Vance that NCIS needs to be in Berlin, right now."

Tim nodded in understanding. Gibbs was always a step ahead of him, much to his frustration. Maybe he really wasn't cut out for the field side of law enforcement after all. He had his doubts, many times in the past. He had even voiced his doubts one time to Tony, but Tony had quickly disabused him of that notion.

But now he wasn't so sure. He had been afraid when Gibbs had selected him to go to Afghanistan with him, and now the idea of physically going after Bodnar scared the crap out of him. Even going after Saleem had been the hardest thing he had ever done. Tony had talked him into it, to avenge Ziva. If he had known Tony's real plan, he never would have gone. He watched Gibbs go about, getting ready for tomorrow just like it was any other day.

Taking a deep breath, he began to speak hesitantly. "Uh, Boss?"

Gibbs didn't look up. "McGee, you are up to this. I know what you're thinking." This time he did look up. "But if you don't want to be on the Berlin team, I won't think anything of it. It's strictly volunteer. No one will think badly of you if you choose not to go."

"That's not true." He blurted out, again amazed that Gibbs knew exactly what he was thinking. "I will. And Abby will. And Tony and Ziva…"

Gibbs held up his hand. "Tim, you're a good Field Agent. But not every _Agent_ is cut out for espionage. This is a different ball game. Believe me, it will be _ok_."

McGee nodded silently and grabbed his bag.

**Berlin, Germany**

Ilan laid back in exhaustion. "Woman, you are insatiable." He breathed heavily.

The woman chuckled wickedly. "And you would not have it any other way, Ilan." She nibbled on his ear.

"You are quite correct." He said as he grabbed her hair and began kissing her passionately. _"Harah!" _He swore as his cell phone began ringing. He angrily grabbed the offending object and punched "answer."

"_This better be a very good reason for interrupting me!"_ He spat at the caller.

"The Director has heard from Ziva David." The disembodied voice responded, not feeling any fear of reprisal. Bodnar sat straight up in the bed, running his hands through his hair.

"When, how?" He demanded.

"She called the Director's private number. She will be coming, soon." The caller's terse answer implied these words were enough.

Ilan smiled in anticipation. Ziva was coming, was she? It was all as he had planned. He would remove the final obstacle of his pain.

"Toda." Bodnar said, ending the call. He looked at the other side of the bed and frowned. His companion had removed herself during his call.

"Come back, my love. The night is young." He called out to the woman lounging seductively in the doorway.

Monique Lisson smiled and shook her head. "I think your mind will be on other things, yes? I will see you in the morning, my love." She turned and walked out the bedroom, taking the short flight down the stairs to her own room.

**Naples, Italy**

Gibbs and McGee arrived in Stan's office at eight a.m. Stan looked up in surprise. "I didn't expect you so early. Coffee?"

"Ya'think, Stanley?" Gibbs smirked. Tim gratefully took the offered brew as well, having not slept too well the night before.

"Weather's good, so your transport should be leaving on time, Boss." Stan noted after checking his computer.

"Thanks, Agent Burley." Gibbs cocked his head in acknowledgment.

Stan smiled. There was a light knock on the door. Stan looked alarmed. "Cagnani." He mouthed to Gibbs and McGee. Gibbs raised his eyebrow and shrugged.

"Come in." Stan called out. "Marco! Same as always!" Stan stood and shook his hand.

Marco Cagnani looked taken aback that Stan had visitors, visitors that were clearly NCIS.

"Oh, don't worry about them." Stan smiled easily. He signed for the pouch and Cagnani left.

After about five minutes, Gibbs spoke up. "So that's the courier in Bodnar's pocket."

"Yep." Stan nodded. "Let's see what crap he has for us today. Oh, this is good. Bodnar has left Munich and has now gone to Mumbai." Stan chuckled.

"Well, at least they're staying with the 'M's'." Gibbs said sarcastically.

"India? Why would he go there? I mean, I know he didn't really go there, but you would think they would at least have him going someplace logical." McGee wondered if he was missing something.

"Isn't Mossad still working the Mumbai Massacre?" Stan asked, trying to come up with a plausible reason for Bodnar to be in Mumbai.

"Wasn't that in 2008?" McGee asked, incredulous that it was still an ongoing investigation.

"Yeah, and it only makes sense if Bodnar was part of the plot: he's no longer Mossad, remember?" Gibbs reminded Stan.

"Oh, yeah. That was dumb." Stan slapped the back his own head in disgust, much to Gibbs' amusement.

They went through the rest of the Intel report. Gibbs sat up. "There's a reference here to 'MC'." He handed the page over to McGee.

McGee looked at Gibbs in shock and took it. "You're kidding! What does it say?" McGee quickly scanned the report. "MC resurfaced in Madrid. Increase security on all systems." McGee opened his mouth at that.

"Why would they put something like that in their fake reports? If they really know MC, why would they want us to be more alert?" Stan asked, dubious. "Let's not forget this is all crap."

"I think it's more interesting that Bodnar's camp is even thinking of MC. That means Bodnar is aware of him, and knows we are invested in catching him." Gibbs rubbed his face. "Maybe MC was referenced to throw us off of Bodnar."

Stan's phone rang. "Special Agent Burley. Yes! I will be right there."

Stan hung up. "A package just arrived. Hopefully it's what you've been waiting for." Stan got up and left the office.

He returned about ten minutes later, holding a think envelope. He sat back down and opened it up, pulling out multiples pages and photos.

Gibbs grabbed some photos and scrutinized them. He was amazed Malachi was able to get these shots, clearly taken in privacy. He tried to get a picture of everyone with Bodnar at the moment. He didn't recognize anyone, but Ziva might. There was one picture, clearly taken in a hurry. It was very blurry, and it looked like a woman was in the background. There was something Gibbs couldn't put his finger on, like he should know who this was. But the image was just not clear enough. He sighed, and put them down.

Stan handed him the letter from Malachi. "This gives all addresses Bodnar is known to frequent, including what looks to be a residence in town, a place outside of the city limits, and a place identified as the **Oranienbergerstrasse Synagogue."**

**"****Look it up." Gibbs ordered. Stan began typing on his computer. "You were right, Boss. This was one of the synagogues destroyed in 1938. It's been renovated recently." Stan looked up.**

**"****That's where we'll find him." Gibbs wrote down some notes. **

**"****Boss!" Stan stopped him. He took the letter and made a copy of it. "Here, you can have the whole thing. Better for Director Vance to see anyway."**

**Gibbs smiled and nodded. He looked at the photos again. He felt he was missing something, something important. But he had enough to get Vance on board. "Let's head out, McGee. We need to get back." **

**_I was bugged by Monique, even though I like the actress and how fun is it that she was Joel Gretsch's wife in "The 4400"! I remember her telling Ziva she had gotten involved in something she couldn't get out of or something like that. And she pushed Ziva to get a personal life and even encouraged her to give Tony a chance. I thought she needed to be revisited. Reviews have been great, thank you so much!_**


	47. Chapter 47

_**Stan handed him the letter from Malachi. "This gives all addresses Bodnar is known to frequent, including what looks to be a residence in town, a place outside of the city limits, and a place identified as the **_**_Oranienbergerstrasse Synagogue."_**

**"****_Look it up." Gibbs ordered. Stan began typing on his computer. "You were right, Boss. This was one of the synagogues destroyed in 1938. It's been renovated recently." Stan looked up._**

**"****_That's where we'll find him." Gibbs wrote down some notes. _**

**"****_Boss!" Stan stopped him. He took the letter and made a copy of it. "Here, you can have the whole thing. Better for Director Vance to see anyway."_**

**_Gibbs smiled and nodded. He looked at the photos again. He felt he was missing something, something important. But he had enough to get Vance on board. "Let's head out, McGee. We need to get back." _**

**Vignette Eleven: Part Sixteen**

**Tony woke up to find he was alone. He first panicked, and then forced himself to relax. Ziva knew he could track her so she wouldn't just take off. Unless she took the laptop…Tony jumped out of bed and walked into the living area. **

**He blew out his breath when he saw the laptop on the table, turned off. He considered it, but then resisted the temptation to actually track her. He busied himself in the kitchen and started a pot of coffee.**

**He was finishing his first cup when he heard the key card in the door. He pretended to be looking through their stuff, totally unfazed by her disappearance.**

**Ziva looked up in surprise. "Good morning, Tony. I did not expect you to be up when I returned." She had clearly been running. She was also carrying a brown bag.**

**Tony smiled. "Have a good run? What's in the bag?" He got up and followed Ziva to the small kitchen.**

**"****There is a Farmer's Market down the block. I thought some fresh fruit would be nice for breakfast, yes?"**

**Tony looked at her purchases. The fruit did look good and he realized Ziva was probably feeling caged. Not that he blamed her, he felt somewhat hemmed in as well. Which was not the same as being trapped, he scolded himself, so quit worrying, DiNozzo!**

**"****Go take a shower, I'll clean the fruit and slice it up, ok?" Tony kissed her softly on the lips. Ziva's eyes shone brightly; relieved he did not grill her or worse, berate her for leaving without saying anything.**

**After the night's event, she needed to clear her head. She debated for ten minutes whether she should wake Tony to tell him she was going. She decided that Tony needed his sleep more than sitting around waiting for her, or worse going with her. She loved his company, but she needed to be by herself this morning, to think, to process. **

**Ziva sighed and stepped into the shower. She had no illusion that Tony had a mild heart attack when he woke up to find her gone. She had to give him points for not running out after her, although she wasn't sure where he thought he would be going.**

**She wondered briefly if he had tried to track her with the software, but decided he hadn't. He looked surprised and relieved when she returned. He would know she was heading back to the hotel if he had been using the software. That brought a soft smile to her face, wanting to believe that he trusted her to go out on her own, to not question her.**

**She pressed her head against the cool tile. Coupled with the warm water, she felt the tension ooze out of her body. The run had done her good, relieving stress and releasing endorphins. When she finally ended her shower, she felt more refreshed than she had in days.**

**She quickly got dress and joined Tony in the living room. The fruit was sliced and set out on plates. She grabbed a slice of mango and bit into its succulent flesh. "The fruit here is wonderful. I wish we could get it like this at home."**

**Tony felt a pang of nostalgia and relief that Ziva referred to "Home". It sent a clear message to him that she knew that she had a home, and intended to return to it. **

**He took her hand and kissed it, then just as quickly resumed eating his breakfast. Ziva looked closely at him, knowing he was caught up in some emotion but didn't want to make a big deal about it. She chose to follow his lead.**

**"****We should contact Stan around noon. Knowing Malachi, he arranged for overnight delivery of the package." Ziva chewed thoughtfully.**

**Tony nodded in agreement. "I hope it got there before Gibbs and McGee left. It will save us some time if he already has the pertinent info he needs to get Vance on board."**

**Ziva raised an eyebrow. "Do you think Gibbs will look at it, before I get a chance to?" **

**Tony smiled softly. "****_I_**** would, if I were in his shoes. It's not ****_personal_****, Ziva. This is important Intel. Don't be upset if he does."**

**Ziva considered what Tony said and reluctantly agreed. It was being sent to her, but it was for the team. After thinking about it, she sincerely hoped that Gibbs ****_had_**** opened the package if it came while they were still in base.**

**They cleaned up and started picking out what they would need for the Berlin trip. After several discussions, they decided they should wait to hear if Vance was sending a team or not.**

**Tony sat down, frustrated. "You know, as much as I want the team's involvement, it was easier when it was just the two of us. Maybe Gibbs has a point about being concerned we won't be able to act as part of the team anymore when we get back."**

**Ziva sat next to Tony, rubbing his back. "I understand how you feel. It was very difficult for me when I first joined as the Liaison, remember? I had been accountable to myself and to my Director and my partner ****_only_**** for so long. I felt like a boat out of water having to deal with so many dynamics."**

**Tony grinned. "Fish out of water. And thanks for reminding me: I had forgotten how awkward you felt working with all of us, having trouble with the chain of command. But you learned to deal with it, and embrace it. I feel better now. We'll be ok, eventually." He kissed her deeply and touched his forehead to hers.**

**"****I love you so much, Ziva. And I don't mind admitting that I'm afraid of what is coming. But I'm with you and I have your back. Don't ever doubt that." He held her hand tightly, willing her to listen to him.**

**Ziva stroked his cheek. "I love you too, Tony. And I will never doubt you. And I am afraid as well. That is why we will be careful: we have too much to lose."**

**Tony hung his head at that. He still entertained thoughts that Ziva might act the Martyr, seeking revenge on her father. He mentally slapped himself for doubting her love for him and her desire to remain at his side. He felt his resolve strengthen.**

**"****Let's call Stan, and see if he got the package. Now that things are moving, I want this to get over with." Tony picked up a new phone and called Stan.**

**Stan agreed to meet them around 2 p.m. at the hotel, knowing they would want to get the package as soon as possible. They kept their conversation short; Stan would fill them in when he got there.**

**He arrived promptly at their door, and quickly handed over the package. "Gibbs and McGee were in my office when it arrived. Gibbs already looked through it." Stan wasn't sure how this bit of news would be received and was relieved that both Tony and Ziva nodded their heads.**

**Ziva quickly scanned the letter, noting the addresses. She looked up as Tony silently handed her the photos. She laid them all out on the table.**

**One by one, she pointed out the various individuals. "This one is Josef Bachmann she pointed to one picture and this is Amiv Schreier. I remember them from the Kidon unit." Ziva shook her head. "I thought they were good men, and followers of my father." She looked with interest at the other photos.**

**One by one, she gave names to the faces: **Moshe Bohmer, Tuval Seidel, and Eiran Wexler. "These are all I recognize from Mossad. The other four I do not know." She took the blurry photo of what was clearly a woman.

She felt a chill but couldn't define what she was feeling. She felt she knew who this was, but the photo was unyielding.

"Unless I'm mistaken, the surnames of these men you have identified are all German." Tony said quietly, looking at Stan and Ziva.

"That would make sense, given Bodnar's background and where he is right now. Do either of you speak German?" Stan asked.

"I do." Ziva answered absently, still fingering the photo. Sighing, she put it down. "Let me see the list that Malachi sent, please."

Ziva perused the names on the list. There were eleven names, including Bodnar and Malachi. Nine of the names belonged to the men in the pictures included; the woman's name was notably absent.

"What's this about MC?" Tony looked up in surprise, finally reading the "fake Intel" report dropped off by Cagnani.

"Gibbs was surprised by that as well. We thought it interesting that Bodnar's camp knew about him. Could they be using him? Gibbs thought maybe it was put in the report to divert us away from Bodnar, since we are just as interested in catching him."

"McGee has a program tracking MC." Tony pursed his lips together. "Wouldn't it be interesting if his footprints lead to Germany?"

Ziva and Stan looked at Tony in surprise. "You think MC is working with Bodnar?"

"Or at least Bodnar might be utilizing MC. Think about it, when did MC first become a threat to us?"

Ziva frowned. "After my father's death. But there were other countries' Intel systems that had been attacked by MC prior to that."

"In fact, Iran's VIVAC system was hacked when Kazmi had the file sent to us. Who else could it have been?" Tony speculated. "Gibbs told me Kazmi admitted to their system being hacked five times in the past."

Stan cocked an eyebrow at that. "Well, I can believe Bodnar would want Intel from Iran, given his hatred for them. It would give him the upper hand."

"Clearly, Bodnar's been planning a coup for a long time, maybe even years. I think what happened in January was because of the meeting with your father and Kazmi, Ziva."

Ziva nodded, trying to remember the last time she had spoken to Bodnar before her father's death, and searching for any clue that would indicate this would be his path.

She came up empty, not remembering or not seeing anything even in retrospect that should have given her cause for alarm.

She took a deep breath. "Very well, then. Malachi has told us where we may find Ilan. It is time we go looking for him." She looked at Tony.

"I think we should drive to Berlin. It will take us several days, by which time Gibbs may have his approval to send a team. Once they are there, word can leak out that I am looking for Bodnar."

Tony's faced drained of all color. "Why would we do that? Can't we just find him ourselves? He doesn't need to know we are there."

Ziva closed her eyes. "He will eventually, Tony. Even if I do not kill him myself, he has to know that he did not win. He has to see me to realize that."

Tony looked sad and worried. Ziva was right, but they could delay the inevitable for a long as possible.

"I wish I could go with you." Stan's quiet voice broke the tension between Tony and Ziva.

Ziva smiled and grabbed Stan's hand. "We wish you could as well. You have been a great assistance to us, Stan. We will miss you."

Tony nodded in agreement. "Second that. You've been an incredible help to us, and we won't forget it.

They all looked at each, knowing that the end of this mission was near. "Keep September on your calendar, that's when the wedding is." Stan smiled.

Tony and Ziva looked at each other, startled. Then Tony looked sheepish when he realized Stan was referring to his wedding, not Tony and Ziva's. "Right, Stan. We'd love to come." Tony held out his hand.

Stan took it solemnly. "Give me a call before you go, to give me a head's up. And I'm going to apologize in advance if I turn your tracking disks on."

Ziva chuckled and then gave Stan a hug. "Thank you for everything." She whispered. "We will miss you."

"Aw, guys…" Stan stood up. "Better get back to work, don't want any flak from the higher-ups." They walked him to the door, and shut it behind them. And once again, there were two.

**Tony's Apartment- Washington, DC**

**McGee finished putting the last of the new cameras in place. He looked around; satisfied that even if someone was looking for listening devices they wouldn't be found. He doubted Rivkin would take the time to search: his mission was to eliminate Tony, pure and simple.**

**McGee shuddered. Even knowing he wouldn't succeed didn't make the coming act easier to get over. He smiled when he thought about the past two days. He knew he missed Tony and Ziva, but seeing them again made him realize just how much he did.**

**He sincerely hoped that when this was all over with, things would go back to normal. Well, as normal as it could be considering Tony and Ziva were in a committed relationship. Tim sighed and took one last look around.**

**He flipped open his phone. "Boss? All set here. I'm heading over to Ziva's now. Really? Damn, ok." Tim hung up. Rivkin had been spotted at the car rental at LaGuardia, and his "dot" could be seen pulsing down Interstate 95 South toward D.C., estimated time of arrival in two hours.**

**McGee packed up his things and hurried out of the apartment. He hoped Rivkin didn't decide to go to Ziva's first. He checked his gun, noting the full magazine. **

**They had gotten in early this morning, and the time difference totally mess with his head. Gibbs had gone to see Vance as soon as he came in to the office. He was still waiting to hear the results of that meeting, but McGee couldn't imagine that Vance would not send a team. Once again, Tim wondered if he should be one of those going. He shook his head to focus his thoughts and headed toward Ziva's place.**

**Samuel Rivkin kept punching the buttons on the radio, dismayed at the poor selection available. He finally found a New Wave music station and settled on that. He smiled as he considered that symmetry in his choice of stations and the pro-Palestinian group most vocal against Mossad. "New Wave, First Wave. It is all the same." Considering this a good omen of things to come, Rivkin smiled and stepped on the accelerator.**

**Shortly after McGee left Tony's place, Gibbs and Fornell set themselves up in Tony's apartment. They decided to use a trick used on Gibbs and Tony. They placed a male mannequin in the shower. Fornell added large blood squibs so Rivkin would be thrilled to see the blood spatter, assuming he was going to shoot him.**

**If he planned the more intimate "I cut your throat and watch you die" approach, then he would realize he had been duped. Which he would anyway, in the end.**

**"****This is fun, Jethro. We should go out more often." Fornell said seriously.**

**"****Ya' think, Tobias?" Gibbs cocked an eyebrow at this friend. Gibbs was watching the tracking dot on the screen. "He's almost to D.C. I hope he doesn't decide to follow DiNozzo from the Navy Yard." Gibbs looked at Fornell.**

**"****Well, that would suck, since DiNozzo's not there, wouldn't it?" Fornell replied. Fornell knew enough to keep him in the loop, but he held up his hand at hearing about activities outside the country.**

**"****It's need to know and I don't." He shrugged. Gibbs looked worried, but then sighed in relief. **

**"****Well, if he's planning to wait outside the Navy Yard, he's lost." Gibbs quipped drily. Privately, he thought that could still be the case, since Stan hadn't been overly impressed with Rivkin's abilities.**

**Fornell looked over Gibbs' shoulder at the computer screen. "Those are from Interpol, huh?"**

**"****Yep." Gibbs replied. "He's heading this way." Gibbs went to the window, hiding from view. He watched a dark sedan pull up across the street and park. From his vantage point he could see the rental car sticker prominently displayed in the window.**

**"****Black Ford Taurus, EZ-Budget Rental Cars." Gibbs spoke to Fornell. Tobias whipped out his cell phone and informed his team outside that Rivkin had arrived and what car he was driving.**

**"****Do not engage. Just observe." He barked into the phone then hung up.**

**"****He's coming up." Gibbs said quickly. He ran into the shower and turned it on full blast. He and Fornell then took their positions behind the kitchen island.**

**Samuel Rivkin got out of his car and looked up and down the street. It was a ****_very_**** nice neighborhood and he sniffed his nose in derision. He doubted this killer had ever suffered in his life. The fact that Samuel had been brought up in relative wealth had no bearing on his resentment of the lifestyle he imagined for one Anthony DiNozzo. He was not worthy of his consideration, the only thing that mattered was that Michael's death would be avenged.**

**He smiled to himself and patted his chest coat pocket. He had chosen the weapon of choice for many Federal Agents, a Glock. He assumed the authorities would think that DiNozzo had been gunned down by one of his own. Certainly a man like that would have many enemies.**

**Samuel hopped the curb and entered the apartment building. He decided to forgo the elevator and took the stairwell to the second floor.**

**He stood outside Tony's apartment, and whispered a small prayer to himself. Carefully, he picked the lock on the door and quietly opened it. He smiled wickedly when he heard the shower running. ****_"It would be so easy; he would never know what happened." _**

**Samuel reconsidered that scenario and decided DiNozzo should meet his killer's eyes. He knew that he looked enough like Michael to be his twin. DiNozzo would have no illusion of who was standing before him in his bathroom, a gun trained at his chest. He lightly fingered the glass shard: the final act of closure.**

**Silently, Samuel followed the sound of the water, taking no note of the apartment itself. He would take a memento when he was done, but first he needed to complete his task. His gun out, he walked carefully into the immaculate bedroom and turned to his left, realizing the bathroom was there.**

**He positioned himself just inside the room, seeing DiNozzo standing under the hot water.**

**Gibbs and Fornell crouched in silence when they heard Rivkin enter the apartment. They got up quietly as his steps could be heard on the wooden floor into the bedroom.**

**Guns drawn, they quietly followed him, staying in the closet hallway area.**

**Rivkin took a deep breath, yelled out "Vengeance!" and fired three shots into the figure. He was thrilled when he saw the splashed of red against the shower curtain.**

**He screamed again, and whipped back the curtain to plunge the glass shard into his side. His eyes opened wide in shock and terror when the mannequin was revealed.**

**"****Federal Agents! Drop your weapon!" Gibbs barked.**

**Samuel slowly turned around, his hands up, tears in his eyes. He saw the two men standing there, and then three more joined them, all with their weapons trained at this head.**

**"****Stop him!" Fornell yelled, when he realized Rivkin was going to plunge the glass shard into his own body.**

**The Agents rushed the suspect and tackled him, wrestling the make-shift weapon from his hand. "No!" Rivkin was sobbing. He had failed…he had failed.**

**NCIS**

**Vance stood in the observation room with Gibbs. "Will he talk? Will he give up Bodnar?" Vance asked.**

**Gibbs shrugged. "He's a zealot, Leon. He knows he failed and is probably more afraid of Bodnar than us right now. Frankly, we probably know more than he does."**

**Vance snorted at the probable truth of that statement, but pulled Gibbs aside. "Be that as it may, we have a bigger problem, Gibbs."**

**Gibbs looked surprised at that. "Bigger than some Mossad thug trying to murder one of my Agents?" **

**"****MTAC." Vance said curtly. Gibbs followed in bewilderment. When they entered the room, he was shocked to see a split screen. On one side was the new Director of Mossad, Orli Elbaz; on the other, Former NCIS Director Tom Morrow, now Senior Division Chief at Homeland Security.**

**"****Good to see you, Sir." Gibbs spoke immediately. The last time they spoke was right after Kate had been shot, and Jenny took over. He had a million things running through his head right now, and for the life of him he couldn't imagine why Morrow and the new Director of Mossad would be on the same conference call in MTAC.**

**"****Gibbs, glad to see you're still there, that some things haven't changed." Morrow spoke tersely.**

**Vance tensed beside him, not quite sure how to take that remark. "Has Director Vance informed you of my concerns?" Morrow's eyes looked at Gibbs, making him feel uneasy.**

**"****No, Sir. We just capture a Mossad Officer who was trying to murder one of my Agents. We had just brought him in when Director Vance had me join him here."**

**Morrow looked surprised. "Officer Ziva David?" Director Elbaz looked pissed, and Gibbs looked confused.**

**"****Sir, ****_Agent_**** Ziva David is an NCIS Special Agent. She quit Mossad years ago." Gibbs looked sideways at Vance, unnerved.**

**"****Are you sure about that Gibbs?" Morrow barked. "According to intelligence I have, not only didn't she quit, but she's been working as a double agent for the past four years!"**

**Gibbs stood stock still, not sure he had heard his former Director correctly. He looked at Vance, shocked. Vance was angrily chewing on a toothpick.**

**"****Chief Morrow is of the opinion that Agent David is not looking for Ilan Bodnar to kill him, but to rejoin his ranks. He believes David was in on the coup from the beginning and is using all of us for her benefit."**

**Gibbs sat down heavily. ****_"This can't be true!"_**** Gibbs was overwhelmed and frightened by what Homeland Security was suggesting.**

**_I was really excited to see all the TIVA spoilers out there for the next two episodes, until I saw the title for 10x23: "Double Blind". I am really afraid they are going to go for the old double agent thing for Ziva. Even if she is falsely accused and found innocent, irreparable damage will be done to her and the team. And if she is, then there goes Cote. I am not happy with this train of thought, but since I think that's where they are heading, I am writing it in._**


	48. Chapter 48

**"****_Sir, Agent Ziva David is an NCIS Special Agent. She quit Mossad years ago." Gibbs looked sideways at Vance, unnerved._**

**"****_Are you sure about that Gibbs?" Morrow barked. "According to intelligence I have, not only didn't she quit, but she's been working as a double agent for the past four years!"_**

**_Gibbs stood stock still, not sure he had heard his former Director correctly. He looked at Vance, shocked. Vance was angrily chewing on a toothpick._**

**"****_Chief Morrow is of the opinion that Agent David is not looking for Ilan Bodnar to kill him, but to rejoin his ranks. He believes David was in on the coup from the beginning and is using all of us for her benefit."_**

**_Gibbs sat down heavily. "This can't be true!" Gibbs was overwhelmed and frightened by what Homeland Security was suggesting._**

**Vignette Eleven: Part Seventeen**

**Gibbs rubbed his neck. He looked at his former boss, scrutinizing him. Having come to a decision, he stood again. "If you'll forgive me Chief, you're ****_Intel_**** is wrong. Ziva David is no more a traitor than I am. What are you basing this on? Other than Ziva being Israeli, former Mossad and the daughter of its former Director?" Gibbs decided to put on the gloves.**

**Morrow smiled grimly. "We know that she has been in contact over the past few months with a Mossad Officer. This same officer was found dead yesterday, murdered. He had numerous papers on him, including several outlining plans to meet with Agent David."**

**Gibbs listened carefully. Ziva had never explained where she had gotten a lot of her information on Bodnar from, but it made sense that she would have some sort of contact within Mossad.**

**"****I'm sure Agent David did speak with this Mossad Officer. Ilan Bodnar, the man who orchestrated the murder of Mossad Director Eli David, is a wanted man by every agency in the world, including Homeland Security and NCIS. Ziva David is not working with this man; she is trying to seek revenge."**

**"****And she does this by sneaking off, taking one of your best Agents with her, roping him in. None of her actions were sanctioned, Agent Gibbs. And now we have a dead Mossad Officer, one who was clearly dealing with Agent David!"**

**"****Excuse me, if I may speak finally!" Mossad Director Orli Elbaz had listened impatiently as the men had argued, but she could take no more.**

**"****I can tell you, as Director of Mossad, that Ziva David ****_did_**** resign four years ago and she has never worked for us since. She did not continue assignments with her father while under the employ of NCIS. I also know Ilan Bodnar and there is no way the two of them would work together for any common cause, much less the downfall of Eli David. To suggest such a thing is ludicrous." Director Elbaz was clearly angry.**

**"****I sent the Mossad Officer to contact Ziva, to assist her with any intelligence we may have regarding Bodnar. She did not instigate the contact. I knew…that Ziva would not sit idly by and wait for others to find her father's killer. We know many things, including where Bodnar is right now, but we consider it to be her birthright to avenge Eli's death, should she so choose." She put her hand to her forehead, rubbing her temple.**

**"****It is not a simple task, and it is not one we could expect. It was her choice. We are here to assist."**

**Vance's jaw worked, trying to decide if he should speak or not. Taking his toothpick out of his mouth, he looked directly at Chief Morrow.**

**"****Contrary to your belief, Agents David and DiNozzo did not take off on their own to go after Bodnar. I was aware of the mission and gave it my full approval, before they left." Vance was aware of Gibbs' eyes boring holes into him, but he chose to ignore it for the moment.**

**"****We are in constant contact with our Agents, they did not go rogue and are not working without authorization." Vance stared at the Senior Division Chief. "Secretary of the Navy Jarvis was also read into this mission, and has used his considerable contacts to aid our Agents. And if you'll forgive me, I would think Agent David would have had a hell of a time becoming a United States citizen, given that she was still working for Mossad. How did your boys screw that up?"**

**"****Now, listen here, Leon…" Morrow broke in.**

**"****No, Tom. You listen. You barge in, claiming foul in my house, with piss-poor evidence to back it up. Are you challenging my authority and the authority of the Secretary of the Navy? Ilan Bodnar is not in the U.S. I don't think NCIS requires the services of Homeland Security for this mission." Vance glared at Morrow.**

**Gibbs was troubled. He had a lot of respect for his old boss, and he didn't like the way Leon was treating him. But he didn't like the accusations Morrow was spouting off about Ziva, either.**

**"****Chief? I would bet my career, hell, my life…on Ziva David. She is not a traitor, and she is not a threat to national security. Please, sir; just drop it." Gibbs didn't like begging, but he knew if Morrow didn't drop this and Ziva was subjected to these accusations when she returned, it would devastate her.**

**Morrow eyed Gibbs carefully. He knew Gibbs was very selective about his team, and wouldn't have just any one on it. The fact that this woman was a part of his team spoke volumes, especially considering her family history. He sighed. "All right, Gibbs. I'll leave it be. But you warn her to be careful about her dealings outside of work. The next time I may not be so willing to let it drop."**

**Gibbs nodded. "Understood, Sir. Thank you." Morrow signed off and his image disappeared from the screen. Director Elbaz was still looking at them.**

**"****Has Ziva left for Berlin?" She asked, looking more relaxed now that Homeland Security had left the room.**

**"****Yes." Vance answered. "They will contact us when they get there."**

**Elbaz nodded. "Very well. My own officer is in place as well. We will get Bodnar, Director."**

**"****Yes, we will. I am sending additional support for David and DiNozzo. I don't want there to be any misinterpretation about this mission."**

**Elbaz nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Director Vance. We will talk again." She signed off and the screen went blank.**

**Gibbs looked at Vance. Vance turned to the technicians. "Can you excuse us for a moment? Thank you." He waited patiently until the two techs left MTAC. He then faced Gibbs.**

**"****You knew? Or did you just say that to cover for Ziva?" Gibbs wasn't sure if he was angry or not, but he was shocked.**

**Vance sighed. "Yes, I knew, and I did approve them to go. It had to look the way it did, Gibbs. That they took off on their own."**

**Gibbs' eyes widened. "You were worried someone would think you were sending Agents on your own behalf, to do what you couldn't do." Gibbs sat back down in one of the chairs.**

**"****Partly. But I needed to buy them as much time as possible, let them contact us when they were ready. It took them awhile to get things rolling. I couldn't risk their exposure before they even got started." Vance sat down next to Gibbs.**

**"****They do not have clearance to tell anyone that I approved this little venture of theirs, so don't be pissed they didn't tell you. It was on my orders, Gibbs."**

**Gibbs wasn't even thinking of that, he just thought of the desperate hours when they were searching for Tony and Ziva that a head's up would have been welcome.**

**"****So, now what? We send in the Cavalry?" Gibbs asked sardonically.**

**"****In a manner of speaking. Just you, Gibbs. And I will have Agent Burley join you since he has been working with DiNozzo and David recently."**

**"****What about McGee?" Gibbs asked, remembering how McGee felt inadequate for this part of the mission.**

**"****If you think you can use him, then fine. He can use computers and the internet just as well from here though." Vance reminded him.**

**Gibbs considered his options. "I think I'll give him the option. It will be good experience for him. But I will leave it up to him."**

**Vance cocked an eyebrow at that, knowing there was some background to that statement, but he didn't ask for an explanation.**

**"****Ok, then. Make your plans, Gibbs." They left MTAC and Gibbs went down to the squad room.**

**Berlin, Germany**

**Tony and Ziva arrived in Berlin, breaking up the fifteen plus hour drive into three days. They wanted to be as fresh as they could when they got there, so they felt no need to break any land speed records.**

**They actually got a tiny bit of sightseeing in as well, not knowing if they would get the chance to come back.**

**After settling into their hotel, they looked over their notes. "Malachi suggested we meet him at this bar 'A Trane'. It has jazz music." Ziva snorted, knowing it was Malachi's favorite.**

**"****So I guess we just keep showing up until he does?" Tony asked. He didn't mind dressing up and going out, especially since it was with Ziva.**

**Ziva smiled at Tony. "Hopefully, he will show up tonight, but it would be fun to just relax a bit."**

**Tony kissed her softly on the lips and was taken by surprise at her aggressive response. He pulled back to get some air. "Guess those side effects are kicking in, hmm?"**

**Ziva looked confused, then embarrassed. "I am sorry. I…" She stopped, her face red.**

**Tony cupped her face. "Hey, I am yours to play with all you want." Ziva chuckled. **

**"****I know. I was just taken by surprise." She kissed him again, and let him take the lead. Moaning into the kiss, they both knew that going to the bar would have to wait.**

**Four hours later, Tony and Ziva were standing at the bar. Ziva had on a beautiful necklace of golden disks. Her dress was black, with huge slits going up each arm. It was all Tony could do to not snake his own arm into those slits. He looked impeccable in his greenish-grey suit and tie.**

**The bar was sophisticated and appealed to professionals. There were TV's for sports and news. The music was a soft, subdued jazz, but there was also a small dance floor, where several guests were swaying.**

**Ziva watched a few couples dancing, drinking her ****_Vesper_****- a martini made of gin, vodka and Kina Lillet. Tony stood close by her, having his usual scotch on the rocks. He felt Ziva take a deep breath, almost sighing.**

**"****You ok?" He looked at her, concerned.**

**"****I was just thinking about when I was a child. My father taught me how to dance. I remember, I was so embarrassed about going to a school dance, I was sure no boy would ask me. My father was very unhappy with me that I did not want to go. I finally told him it was because I did not know how to dance with a boy and I did not want to be made to look foolish. He stood me up, right in my bedroom, and started to dance with me." Ziva looked out at the couples on the floor.**

**"****He sang some song; I do not remember now which one it was. And he showed me how to dance with a man, how to let him lead. I must have stepped on his toes a hundred times!" Ziva shook her head, surprised at this memory coming back so clearly. "My mother stood in the doorway, smiling at me in my father's arms." **

**Ziva sighed. "I remember laying my head against his chest, feeling so loved and protected. It was one of my last hopeful childhood memories I have of my father. After that, he started going away more often. My mother began pulling away. By the next summer, she had left, taking us with her." Ziva fell silent, her eyes still watching the dancers on the floor.**

**She was startled when her view was blocked. Tony stood in front of her, smiling. "May I have this dance?" His hand was held out, a warm, gentle smile on his face.**

**Ziva looked at his hand, then back up into his face. She looked into his eyes, seeing the love she felt for him reflected back.**

**"****Yes, you may." She answered, her voice barely a whisper.**

**Tony encased her right hand in his left and placed his other hand at her waist. Ziva placed her left hand on his right upper arm and the two began dancing to the music. They moved as one, in perfection.**

**They looked deeply into each other's eyes, not needing to speak. Ziva laid her head on his chest, and Tony tightened his gripped around her waist. Remembering Ziva's words, of feeling so loved and protected, he squeezed her hand and whispered in her ear "**_Ani ohev otach"_. Ziva's breath caught, and she pulled even closer.

Tony rested his chin on the top of her head, feeling her in his arms. "I wish we could stay like this forever." Ziva whispered, as the music came to its inevitable end.

They continued swaying for a few moments after the final notes faded away. "We can, and we will, Ziva. I promise." She pulled back and looked at Tony, wanting to believe him. Tony bent down and kissed her deeply, sealing his pronouncement. He could feel her lips smiling as he caressed them with his own.

Finally breaking apart, they held hands and walked back to the bar. A man was waiting there, his back to them. He turned toward them when they reached their former places at the bar. "What a lovely couple you make."

Ziva and Tony looked at the man in surprise, seeing Malachi standing there with a smirk on his face. Tony wasn't sure if he should shake his hand or break his jaw, so he settled for a head nod.

"Malachi." Ziva said quietly. "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough to watch you two have eye sex that was apparent to everyone within a six-block radius of this dance floor." He was enjoying himself.

Ziva rolled her eyes. "What do you have for us, or are you just going to make jokes?"

Malachi lost his smile. "I had hoped you would be happy to see me, Ziva. The last time we saw each other, we were on better terms."

Ziva thought back to when Malachi and Liat had been sent as the protection detail for her father when he had come for the summit he and Director Vance had set up. She wondered briefly if he felt upset that he was not given the same opportunity for her father's last and _final _visit.

Ziva felt rebuked. "I am sorry, Malachi. You are here at great risk to yourself, to help us. I am of'course happy to see you. We both are."

Malachi eyed Tony, who still hadn't said anything. "Well, Agent DiNozzo? Are you just going to stare me down and shoot daggers with the eyes?"

Tony's mouth twitched. "Sorry, I'm not as carefree as I used to be. Call it my gut."

"Tony!" Ziva shushed him. She didn't know what had gotten into him, and she didn't want him to antagonize Malachi.

If Malachi was disturbed by Tony's demeanor he didn't show it. "Please, Agent DiNozzo. I understand your…_attitude_, especially as it concerns Ziva. Do not be worried, I am here to help."

Tony relaxed slightly, but he was still cool. Something felt off, but he couldn't put his finger on it. His eyes darted around the room, looking at the other patrons, seeing if anyone else was paying attention to them.

"Who is the woman in the photo you sent? We could not make her out." Ziva asked immediately. This had been concerning her since she saw it.

Malachi shrugged. "I do not know her. She has only been seen with Bodnar, never with the group. I am sure she is his lover. It is very hard to find her, thus the poor photo."

Ziva felt deflated. Someone who could get that close to Ilan would be a great asset. She let it go for now. "I recognized those from Mossad, but the others I do not know."

Malachi nodded. "They are from Germany, childhood family friends. Amir Mantel, Adam Eshel, Erich Mengen, and Gerhardt Tobler."

Tony was writing down the names on his notepad. "What about 'MC'?"

Malachi looked stunned at the question. "Excuse me?"

"Do you know who _'MC'_ is?" Tony asked, emphasizing the initials.

Malachi thought carefully. "I am aware of an 'MC' who is a cyber-terrorist. Is that who you are referring to?" He looked from Tony to Ziva.

Ziva nodded. "NCIS has been getting fake Intel reports from you, well, Bodnar I guess I should say. The last one made a reference to 'MC'. What that tells us is at least Bodnar knows of this person."

Malachi's eyes widened. "Is that so? And what did this report say about the mysterious 'MC'?"

"That he had been seen in Madrid. We figured it was an attempt to get us off of his, Bodnar's, back."

"Aw, dangling fish in front of you and casting it in a different part of the lake. I see." Malachi responded.

Tony wasn't quite sure what Malachi had just said, but he thought he could puzzle it out. "So, do you know if he knows 'MC' or not?" He asked again, losing patience.

Malachi shrugged. "The name has not come up to my knowledge. However, I am not his second and do not necessarily have his ear."

"What is he planning, Malachi?" Ziva asked, disturbed.

"Well, one thing he has planned, which certainly will not happen, is the death of one Agent Anthony DiNozzo. He is then planning an attack on an Iranian installation that will have Mossad written all over it, causing an international incident."

"Compromising the tenuous accord and jeopardizing the new Director of Mossad." Tony interjected.

"Precisely." Malachi nodded.

"But to what end? The end of Mossad? The end of Israel? I do not understand his motivation now." Ziva's face was pale, her eyes dark with emotion.

Tony put his arm around her waist, pulling her close to comfort her.

Malachi held out his hands, showing them empty. "He lost his chance to lead Mossad. I do not know if he has a clear plan. These are only things I have heard him speak of. I truly believe he thinks he will be welcomed back to Mossad, to clean up the mess."

"A mess he created." Tony said flatly.

"To be sure, and who better to clean it up, since he knows what it took to make it? He is orchestrating events, but I could be mistaken as to his desired outcome." Malachi shoulders sagged.

"I have had many opportunities to kill him, Ziva; to avenge my Director's death. I have done as I was instructed. I have waited for you to come. I will assist you as best as I can. What would you have me do?"

Ziva looked at Malachi and then looked at Tony. "I want you to tell Ilan that I want to meet with him."

"Ziva!" Tony exclaimed.

She turned to him and placed her hand on his chest. "It will be fine, Tony. Malachi will ensure that only Ilan comes, won't you Malachi?" Ziva looked back at her former Mossad partner.

Malachi's mouth had dropped open when Ziva had spoken. He nodded dumbly, not trusting himself to speak. He understood that Ziva had just instructed him to "detain" the remaining members of Bodnar's cadre. He looked at his watch.

"I must go. It is not wise to be gone for too long." He looked concerned.

Ziva nodded. "We will make our plans and then we will contact you regarding when and where I wish to meet with Bodnar. Do not say anything to him until you have heard from us. It may be several days, Malachi. Can you do that?" Ziva stared hard at him, daring him to disagree.

Malachi sighed softy. "I will wait, Ziva. And I will say nothing, you have my word." He bowed slightly and took his leave.

Ziva watched him leave, her lips in a thin line. She turned to Tony. "You do not trust him." It was not a question.

"Well, he doesn't have a great track record as far as you are concerned, Ziva. Although I do believe in his desire to avenge the death of your father." Tony rubbed the back of his neck.

"I just…I don't know. I'm not sure he is safe for us to be around."

Ziva looked alarmed. "You think Malachi has been compromised, that he is being watched?"

Tony looked grim. "The thought crossed my mind. How can they _not _suspect him, given his history with your father? I don't understand how he made it past the front door."

He grabbed Ziva's hand. "Malachi may be using them, but they could be using him: to get close to you."

He looked around the bar. "I've felt eyes on us all evening. They already know we are here. Or someone does."

Ziva felt the color drain from her face. She had learned through the years that Tony's gut was almost as good as Gibbs'. And she silently berated herself for her own instincts being dulled and not picking up on anything.

She pulled Tony out onto the dance floor again. His look of surprise turned to one of knowing. As they slow turned around to the beat of the music, they could surveille the entire room.

Tony looked at every face he could find, studying for any sense of heightened awareness, or urgency. A blur by one of the potted plants caught his eye. "Shit!" He exclaimed, taking off toward the exit.

Ziva ran after him, swearing to herself. They had no weapons, what did he think he was doing? "Tony!" She shouted.

She caught up with him, stunned that he had tackled the person he was running after. Tony pulled himself up, bringing his prey with him.

If Ziva was stunned before, nothing could have prepared her for the sight before her now.

"Monique?" Ziva could barely get the name out.

Monique smiled tightly. "Hello, Ziva. I told you Tony was more than he seems." She dusted off her pants. I have much to tell you."

_**Can't wait for Tuesday's ep, the beginning of my little Vignette. I will have to finish this well before 10x22 "Revenge" although I know most of what I have written will not happen. Malachi will not show up, and I doubt Monique will either. To me the big question is what is going to happen after Bodnar is caught/killed since I don't think they can drag that on through five episodes. But then again, they did that with the whole Harper Dearing thing. shrug Anyway, thanks for the amazing support for this series. This will be the last Vignette and then I will start a new series for Season Eleven. I looked back at this story and realized I predicted in February that Tony would go with Ziva to avenge her father's death and go after Bodnar. I'm stunned to have guessed this correctly as most of my Vignettes have been totally wrong. haha**_


	49. Chapter 49

_**She caught up with him, stunned that he had tackled the person he was running after. Tony pulled himself up, bringing his prey with him.**_

_**If Ziva was stunned before, nothing could have prepared her for the sight before her now.**_

"_**Monique?" Ziva could barely get the name out.**_

_**Monique smiled tightly. "Hello, Ziva. I told you Tony was more than he seems." She dusted off her pants. I have much to tell you."**_

**I have to say it: I did not like the ending of "Chasing Ghosts". And now I hear Muse Watson is returning for the finale. My take on that is he is Gibbs' conscience as he grapples with how to deal with the holy Hell that is coming down the pike…**

**Vignette Eleven: Part Eighteen**

Vance waited patiently for Chief Morrow to show up at their "usual" place. After the confrontation in MTAC, Vance knew he would show up here again, and he didn't disappoint.

"Tom." Vance nodded as he sat down next to him on one the benches. Tom Morrow looked around, the cherry blossoms finally blooming. "This isn't going to plan, Leon." He began.

Vance started to speak, but Morrow cut him off. "Agent David was supposed to be sent to Paris, to keep her occupied while we continued with our operation. She is getting in the way. You need to pull them back, Leon. The consequences are too severe."

Vance looked at Morrow, disturbed. He knew he had been helping him out by admitting that he, Vance, had sent Ziva and Tony to Paris. When they met two months ago, Morrow had let it "slip" that Bodnar had been seen in Paris, knowing that Vance would send them there.

"Tom, they did a lot of good while they were in Paris. But my Agents are smart, and they know how to investigate. It was only a matter of time before they would get different Intel and act on it." Vance reasoned.

"And now you need to reel them back in!" Morrow snapped. "This is beyond all of your pay grades. It's need to know and you don't. Call them off. Now! Otherwise, I can't guarantee the outcome."

"What does that mean?" Vance asked, squaring his shoulders.

"What it means, Leon, is that there are serious repercussions for interfering with an active DOD case. What you are doing is strictly personal, not jurisdictional. You are compromising our mission. I will tell you one more time: recall your Agents." Morrow stood, done with the conversation.

Vance watched the Chief leave, his gut churning. He flipped open his phone and called Gibbs.

**NCIS**

Gibbs stared at the young Mossad Officer, who was looking everywhere but at Gibbs.

The silence continued for fifteen minutes before Rivkin started shaking. Gibbs tried to not smile; none of this was funny. This man just tried to kill his Senior Field Agent, after all. The fact that he hadn't been successful didn't really register on Gibb's radar as a blip of consequence.

Finally, Gibbs pushed forward a photo: Eli David, dead on the floor with multiple gunshot wounds. Samuel swallowed nervously. _Surely they didn't think he had something to do with that, did they?_

Silently, grimly, Gibbs shoved another picture into view: Jackie Vance, dead in autopsy, the wound to her temple ugly and vivid.

Samuel looked away in horror, feeling ready to retch. "Look at it!" Gibbs yelled. "She was an innocent bystander. She had two children who now have to live the rest of their lives without their mother!"

Samuel closed his eyes, refusing to look again at the photo.

"Where's Bodnar?" Gibbs' voice was cold. Just as he banged his fist on the table, his phone rang. Gibbs was ready to fling it across the room, but saw it was Vance calling. Swearing under his breath, he got up and left the room.

**Berlin, Germany**

Ziva and Tony sat in the dingy hotel room, waiting for Monique to speak. Tony sat close to Ziva, knowing how shaken up she was by this turn of events.

"I am sorry I could not tell you anything when we last saw each other." Monique began.

Ziva sat up at that. "What do you mean? You were with Ilan last year? You helped kill my father?" Ziva was on the verge of tears, the feeling of betrayal so intense it was painful.

Monique leaned forward and touched Ziva's hand. "Yes and no. Yes, I was 'with' Ilan if that is what you would call it. I was tasked with getting into his pocket, to observe him."

"By whom?" Tony asked harshly.

Monique looked into Tony's eyes. "I cannot tell you that."

"Hell!" Tony exclaimed under his breath.

"Monique, what about my father?" Ziva looked at her mentor, trembling with anxiety.

Monique sighed. "I was instructed to help Ilan overthrow Eli David. My employers thought that they would best be served if your father was replaced. The obvious choice to take over was Ilan Bodnar. I assisted him in planning his coup." She frowned.

"I did allude to this when we last spoke. I realized that Ilan was veering off from the assigned course, and planning his own agenda. By the time I realized his true plan, it was too late. I am sorry, Ziva."

"Yet you are still with him? How can that be, Monique? Why have you not killed him?" Ziva's voice was a whisper, not sure she wanted the answer.

"I am prevented from taking matters into my own hands. All I can do is to continue to monitor the situation and keep tabs on Bodnar. When the time comes for action, they will know where to find him." Monique stared at Ziva, then Tony.

"I do have something to tell you that you need to pass on to Mossad: there is a CIA mole in the office of the Director."

Tony and Ziva sat up at that. Tony's eyes narrowed. "How do you know that, Monique? Are you working for the CIA?"

Monique smiled without humor. "I am not so stupid to back stab my own employer. No, I am not working with the CIA and I will say no more on that matter. I know they have a mole because this person called Ilan and told him you would be coming to Berlin, to find him. You spoke to the new Director, yes?"

Ziva looked at Tony with alarm. Could the new Director already be compromised? The thought dismayed them both.

"So, let me get this straight." Tony began. "You say you are not working with the CIA, but the CIA has one of their own Agents infiltrated inside Mossad, sending information to Ilan Bodnar, who they are supposedly trying to hunt down and capture."

"You see my dilemma." Monique responded quietly.

Ziva's eyes opened wide. "Monique, are you saying that Ilan…Ilan is working _with_ the CIA? That he is a double agent?" Ziva looked at Tony, the idea frightening to her.

Monique shrugged. "Are you asking for proof? I have none. Ilan is not walking around wearing a CIA ID badge after all, and to be honest, I doubt it. I have my suspicions, but they are more in line with Ilan using a CIA double Agent himself. The CIA knows where Ilan is, there is one in his group that is an Agent. His name is Adam Eschel. They could arrest him at any time. They have not. He clearly has help, help that continues to aid him in eluding his capturers."

Ziva lowered her eyes. Mossad could make the same claim. "Perhaps they are waiting for me." She said so quietly Tony almost didn't hear her words.

Monique looked at her friend sadly. "Do you really think the CIA is concerned for your feelings over the loss of your father?"

"What do you _really_ think?" Tony asked, his tone insistent.

Monique took a deep breath, aware that what she was about to say could come back to haunt her. "Please understand that I have no proof, just twenty months of witnessing the evolution of the coup and the end result." Tony and Ziva nodded.

"I believe that Ilan began planning almost two years ago to remove your father. It is very possible the he has the backing of a foreign nation. The CIA, for instance, has such a history of involving themselves and participating in the overthrow of regimes they feel are not of the correct political climate. I was contacted as well, and no I will not say by whom; to plan and execute the same plan. I was steered toward Bodnar, as an obvious partner in crime. I did not suspect at that time that he may have already been under orders by someone else; I felt more that he was serving his own devices." Monique clasped her hands and brought them to her lips, forming her thoughts.

"I then think that Ilan took matters into his own hands and instead of devising a way to remove Director David from office, he had him killed."

"He went rogue, from Mossad and…maybe CIA?" Tony asked.

"In essence and again, I have no actual proof that the CIA recruited Bodnar. However, he is now a problem for the CIA to take care of, but they have not done so. If he is tied to them, it is possible that he is still useful. They do not know how to handle this. The easy choice is for Ilan to 'disappear'. But for some reason, they are not acting on the intelligence they are receiving."

Monique turned worried eyes toward Ziva. "Ziva, I do not like that you are here. You do not want to involve yourself in a CIA disaster. There could be serious repercussions for you."

"_Involve_ myself?" Ziva asked incredulous. "My father was murdered! I cannot be _more_ involved!" Tony took her hand and caressed it lightly.

"There are laws, Ziva. You are now a citizen of the United States. If they charge you with interfering with an ongoing investigation, disrupting an intelligence operation on foreign soil, you could lose you citizenship."

Tony went pale at that. Ziva could lose her citizenship and be deported? What about him? Could he or both of them go to jail? He shook his head. Vance had sent them. He wouldn't have done that if they were in any danger, legal danger that is. Would he?

Tony suddenly wasn't so sure. He knew Ziva was in a way being used as Vance's weapon, since he could not strike the blow himself. Right then, he vowed to himself that should it come to a showdown, Vance would be going down with them.

Ziva was silent. She considered Monique's words. The idea of losing her citizenship terrified her. Where would she go? She had already renounced Israel. And what about Tony? Ziva looked at him and saw the deep concern etched on his features.

Monique stood. "I cannot stay. I have already been with you longer than I should. Tell your Mossad friend about the CIA mole. I do not know his name, or even if it is a male. I am sorry; I wish I had more for you." Monique walked to the door.

"Leave Ziva, Tony. Leave now and don't look back. Revenge serves no purpose and in your case it may cause you more heartache than you suffer at the moment." Without another word, she left.

Tony and Ziva looked at each other, suddenly unsure of what they should do. Tony took one look at Ziva's face, and engulfed her in his arms. "This cannot be happening, Tony." Ziva murmured into his shoulder.

Tony rubbed her back, trying to comfort her the best way he knew how. "We need to call Gibbs and Vance." He said grimly.

**NCIS**

Gibbs stepped out of the interrogation room and answered his call. "Yeah, Gibbs."

"Gibbs, I need you to come to my office, right now." Vance got straight to the point, leaving the pleasantries aside.

Gibbs looked shocked. "_Director_, I'm in the middle of interrogating Rivkin…"

"He can wait!" Vance interrupted him. "It's about DiNozzo and David." He hung up before Gibbs could respond. The color drained out of Gibbs' face. Had something happened to his Agents? He couldn't imagine how Vance would have been notified if they had been killed…Gibbs stopped that train of thought.

He told the guard to go sit in the room with Rivkin and rushed up to Vance's office. He was out of breath by the time he got there.

"Leon, what in the hell is going on?" Gibbs gasped out.

"CIA." Vance answered tersely.

Gibbs looked confused. "I thought we diffused Morrow's issue with Ziva?"

Vance paced. "They don't want our Agents messing about their operation, whatever it is. I just received a veiled threat from Tom Morrow, warning me that if I don't pull DiNozzo and David back, there could be serious consequences."

Gibbs' eyes widened at that. "Just what in the Hell is the CIA doing with Bodnar? And what kind of consequences?"

"The worst kind, Gibbs. Can you get in touch with them?" Vance looked closely at him.

Gibbs sat heavily in one of the chairs. "No, I have to wait for them to call me. Leon, what do you know?"

"Not a damn thing; and that has me worried. I usually have some sort of sense of what is happening with our sister agencies, but whatever is going on with Bodnar, I am completely in the dark."

Gibbs sighed. "Of'course you are, Leon. You are on the 'don't tell' list."

Vance nodded. "At any rate, I've been instructed to bring them home."

Gibbs rubbed his face. "Ziva is not going to be happy, Leon. What if she refuses?"

Leon straightened up in his chair. "Well, I guess that's the million dollar question, isn't it Gibbs? How far are you willing to stick your neck out for your Agents? For Agent David?"

Gibbs understood right then that Vance was recusing himself from the situation and that any fallout from this operation would fall on him and his team.

He really couldn't blame him: he had two young children who already lost a parent. He sighed. "I guess it depends on what Tony and Ziva have to say." As if on cue, Gibbs' phone rang.

His eyebrows shot up when he saw the blocked number. "Tony! Ziva!" He answered right away.

Tony looked at Ziva. "Boss, we have a problem here."

Gibbs put the call on speaker. "I'm in the Director's office, Tony. We have a problem on this end as well."

Tony frowned. "You go first." He wanted to hear what Gibbs had to say before they gave him a bunch of "what-ifs" and "maybes".

Vance spoke up. "Homeland Security Senior Chief Tom Morrow has contacted us. They and the CIA have grave concerns about your mission. I've been ordered to have you cease and desist and bring you home."

Ziva gasped. She grabbed Tony's arm, forcing him to look at her. "This confirms what Monique told us!"

"What was that, David?" Vance had heard her outburst.

Ziva took a deep breath. "We ran into someone unexpected, here in Berlin. My friend Monique. You remember her, Gibbs?"

"Lisson?" Gibbs frowned at that. "I thought she hung out in Cartagena?"

"That was last year, Gibbs and just for a short while. She is a free agent, able to choose where and with whom she wishes to work." Ziva reminded him.

"Sounds like she only has allegiance to herself." Vance snapped, wondering how someone like that could be trusted.

Ziva nodded gravely. "That is partially true; Monique has been burned before, so she is very wary. However, I have only known her to work for the common good. She is not a terrorist, Director Vance."

"Ok." Gibbs interrupted. "What did she say to you and how did you find her?"

Tony took over, knowing how emotional Ziva was at the moment and he wanted to make sure Gibbs and Vance understood the situation. "She has been working with Bodnar for over a year. She was hired by someone to assist in the removal of Director David from office. She and Bodnar found each other. And before you ask, she wouldn't tell us who her employer is." Tony took a deep breath.

"Her task was to remove from office only; Bodnar took things further and went off course with the killing. But that's not what we need to tell you. First of all, she says there is a CIA mole in the Mossad Director's office. She knows this because Bodnar was contacted shortly after we spoke to her and told that Ziva was coming to Berlin."

"Son of a Bitch!" Vance said under his breath.

"Monique wants us to warn Mossad of the CIA presence, Gibbs. There is also a CIA Agent within Bodnar's group, Adam Eschel." Ziva piped up.

Gibbs and Vance looked at each other in alarm. "Agents! Under no circumstances are you to report this to Mossad, am I understood?" Gibbs' voice was harsh and almost shaking with anger.

Tony and Ziva looked stunned, but then understanding dawned in Tony's eyes. "Oh, God. We could have been totally screwed if we had called her first." He said softly.

Vance nodded. "Thank God you didn't. This is very serious. If the CIA has a mole in Mossad and they are in contact with Bodnar, there are too many bad scenarios that could go done with that."

Ziva looked upset. "What do you mean I cannot tell Mossad? I have to warn them!"

Tony turned to her. "Ziva, this is what Monique was warning you about! You are no longer Mossad, no longer an Israeli citizen. Your allegiance is to the United States. If you knowingly compromise any intelligence operation in a way that will benefit a foreign country, you could be charged with treason!"

Ziva opened her mouth, and then closed it. This was a million times worse than she had imagined.

"Which brings us back to the CIA's demand that you be recalled: I don't know what their operation is, or why they are doing it, but they are concerned that you are going to interfere, and possibly endanger their operatives. These are very serious issues to consider." Vance reiterated.

Ziva put her head in her hands, her body shaking as she tried to control her emotions. She had been promised that she could seek closure, that she could find the man responsible for her father's death. And now, they wanted to break that promise.

A/N:_** I know this is a lot shorter than normal, but with so many spoilers coming out right and left, my mind is mush. I changed the location provided by Morrow from Rome to Paris to coincide with my story. And obviously I couldn't add that Tim was involved before they left or that Gibbs agreed to let Ziva go and told her to take Tony. My take on that scene is not a good one: I believe that last scene was the next evening although it is hard to tell because of the wardrobe malfunctions in this episode. So Tony would have reported to Gibbs what he found out, and they decided Tony would go. I am going with Tony volunteering and Gibbs agreeing. Now this is the thing I don't think is good: the next episode is titled "Berlin" and Ziva had a big map of Germany on her laptop. Yet Morrow told Vance he would give him Bodnar's coordinates if he could, but he can't. THEN he casually mentions Bodnar was last seen in Rome. Vance told Gibbs that Bodnar was in Rome and that is where they are sending them. Look at Ziva's face when she hears Gibbs say "He's in Rome" and she answers softly "That's what I thought too." She looks wary to me. And then Vance is right there, smiling and nodding and sending her to Rome. It's possible that Rome is a decoy and they are just appeasing Ziva and giving her a "mission" to occupy her while the CIA does its thing, whatever that is. Obviously, they don't stay in Rome which sets up for the charges and legal problems in the last two episodes. I wouldn't have thought anything about it if the next episode wasn't called Berlin, so it may be a red herring. Anyway, the fireworks are about to begin and a lot of bad stuff is coming down the pike. I hope they soften the "cliffhanger that will have fans stunned all summer" with some positive movement for Tony and Ziva. Otherwise, this is all for naught.**_


	50. Chapter 50

_**Tony turned to her. "Ziva, this is what Monique was warning you about! You are no longer Mossad, no longer an Israeli citizen. Your allegiance is to the United States. If you knowingly compromise any intelligence operation in a way that will benefit a foreign country, you could be charged with treason!"**_

_**Ziva opened her mouth, and then closed it. This was a million times worse than she had imagined.**_

"_**Which brings us back to the CIA's demand that you be recalled: I don't know what their operation is, or why they are doing it, but they are concerned that you are going to interfere, and possibly endanger their operatives. These are very serious issues to consider." Vance reiterated.**_

_**Ziva put her head in her hands, her body shaking as she tried to control her emotions. She had been promised that she could seek closure, that she could find the man responsible for her father's death. And now, they wanted to break that promise**_.

Vignette Eleven: Part Nineteen

"Ziva?" Gibbs spoke softly. No one had spoken for several tense moments, but he could hear the distressed breathing on the other line.

"DiNozzo, talk to me!" Gibbs ordered.

Tony had his arm around Ziva, trying to get her to calm down, and to think rationally. He saw the hurt and betrayal in her face. His lips pressed together in a thin line of anger.

"Why did you give us the go-ahead? To call us back now is worse than not letting Ziva go in the first place!" Tony's anger in behalf of his partner was not lost on Vance or Gibbs.

Gibbs eyed Leon, weighing his options. Making a decision, he cocked his head, silently asking the Director to vacate his office and leave him alone with his agents.

Vance nodded and stood. He looked back once at Gibbs before he opened the door. He tried to smile, but he couldn't make it come. He knew what Gibbs was about to do, and he wasn't really sure how it felt about it. But he couldn't hear the words; he couldn't be held liable. Sighing, he escaped to his own safety, seemingly oblivious to the coming storm.

"I'm sorry, Ziva. And you know how I feel about apologies. Vance finally told me that he had been working with you from the beginning." Gibbs rubbed his forehead, trying to stop the headache he felt pulsing in his brain.

Tony and Ziva looked at each other in surprise, and then felt remorse. "I wish we could have said something, Boss, but he wouldn't let us." Tony began to explain.

Gibbs stopped him before he could continue. "I know, DiNozzo, you don't need to paint a picture. But I do. There are some things that you don't know."

Ziva stood and started pacing. "What do you mean, Gibbs?"

"What I mean is that you two were never meant to succeed in your task. Homeland Security gave us Paris as the location for Bodnar. It was a ruse. They wanted you occupied and out of the way while they continued with whatever their real operation concerning Bodnar is."

Ziva stopped pacing, staring in disbelief at Tony. "They…lied to us? This has all been a lie?" Her voice was shaking in anger.

"As far as letting you catch Bodnar? Yes, I think so. They didn't consider what would happen when you started getting your own intelligence, as _I_ expected you would. And for the record, I just found out about this, today. I didn't send you on a wild goose chase." Gibbs was disgusted with the whole mess. He looked at the empty Director's chair, wondering if Vance felt any remorse.

"But we _have_ found Bodnar, Boss." Tony spoke up, looking carefully at Ziva, measuring his words. "I don't want us to lose our jobs, but he murdered Ziva's father _and_ Vance's wife. That has to count for something!" He was getting angry as well.

Who in the hell did Homeland think they were? He understood not wanting NCIS or FBI or whoever to be mucking up one of their operations. All they had to do was say there was a conflict, or something. Not once had he or Ziva been warned of any negative consequences toward themselves should they chose to embark on this journey.

Tony looked at Ziva's face, her jaw set in defiance at being used. _"Another betrayal."_ Tony thought. As he watched her tear apart a napkin with her nervous energy, he realized ruefully that even if they had been told that the CIA had an operation going on that they would be interfering with, Ziva would have still insisted on going forward. They hadn't exactly been successful had they? Tony couldn't fault that line of reasoning.

"What do you want us to do, Boss?" Tony finally asked, glancing again at Ziva's tense posture.

"Tony, Ziva: I'm not going to order you to come home. If you want to continue with your search, I will back you all the way. I can't guarantee what the outcome will be. We may all very well lose our careers over this. But sometimes you have to take a stand. I will say this to you, however; you're mission now is to find and escort back the killer of _Jackie Vance_. That is the only way NCIS can have any legitimate jurisdiction of this matter. It's your decision. Do you understand Ziva?" Gibbs held his breath, hoping this was enough, that his Agent wouldn't throw everything away.

Tony sat quietly, absorbing what Gibbs had just said to them. He just realized that he hadn't heard Vance speak in the last five minutes. He rubbed the back of his neck, realizing he had left the office so he could be blissfully ignorant of whatever Gibbs was going to say to his Agents. They were being hung out to dry.

"I will continue, but Tony will go home." Ziva spoke up. Tony whipped his head up at that and started shaking it "NO" vigorously. Ziva turned to him, her eyes pleading.

"No, Tony listening to me. This is _my_ fight. I cannot allow you to potentially throw away everything you love. It isn't fair to you. Gibbs will need you when this is through." She looked down, not able to say anymore.

Tony stood up and walked over to her. Taking her hands, he spoke with resolve and urgency. "This is _not_ your fight, Ziva. Didn't you hear what Gibbs said? We are looking for _Jackie Vance's_ killer. If it is just you, no one will believe that this isn't just a personal vendetta. And I'm not about to throw_ you_ away. Why would you even suggest that I leave? I'm in this for the duration, whatever happens."

Ziva's eyes were pools of emotion. She desperately wanted Tony to stay, but she was terrified of the consequences. He had so much more to lose than she did, at least from her point of view. She should have known he wouldn't leave her; their new relationship demanded otherwise. She lowered her head and leaned against his chest.

Tony stroked her hair, and then remembered Gibbs was still on the phone. "We're staying, Boss." He said quietly.

Gibbs didn't realize he had been holding his breath, so when he expelled it in a "whoosh" it caught him by surprise. "Ok, I'll being heading your way in the next day or so. The excuse is to bring you home. Ziva, use any resources you have, just stay away from the CIA." They talked logistics for a few minutes longer, and then Gibbs ended the call.

He put his head in his hands.

**Berlin, Germany: The next day**

Tony and Ziva sat quietly, waiting to hear back from Malachi. They had agreed to meet at an outdoor café, crowded with people. As they settled into their seats, peering around for Malachi, a deep voice interrupted their musings.

"You look well, Agent David." Ziva whipped her head around to see a young handsome man sitting next to her. She frowned.

"I am sorry; you have mistaken me for someone else." She looked warily at Tony, signaling him that they should leave.

"Then Director Elbaz will be very disappointed. I was instructed to help you eliminate Bodnar." The unknown man spoke again.

Tony looked closely at him. This was certainly not going to plan; Malachi was to be their contact. As if reading his mind, the Mossad Officer inclined his head. "I understand your reticence. Officer Ben-Gidon is well-known to be acquainted with you. It was decided that it would be best if I should assist you instead."

Ziva clenched her hands, rubbing her left absently. "Who are you?" She asked bluntly.

"My name is Adam Eshel. I have infiltrated Bodnar's group, as has Ben-Gidon. He knows you are here. He will try to contact you shortly." Eshel smiled with confidence.

Ziva really frowned this time. "We have been informed that you work for the CIA, not Mossad." She got right to the point, hoping to throw him off balance, play his hand.

Eshel looked genuinely surprised and then chuckled. "I am insulted. Your informant is wrong. I am not CIA, but there _is_ a CIA presence around Bodnar. Do you want my help or not?" Eshel was tired of the distrust. He had expected to be welcomed with open arms. He had been told that Ziva was ready to take revenge for her father's death.

Adam Esher did not know Ziva personally, but he knew of her. The woman sitting across from him bore little resemblance to the Mossad Kidon Officer he had been briefed about. She looked soft, hesitant, unsure.

Ziva held her breath. She knew they had been told to keep away, but if Bodnar contacted her, what was she supposed to do? As she sat there debating, her laptop dinged, indicating she had a video conference waiting for her. Tony stood up, looking over her shoulder.

Licking her lips, she clicked on the icon and sucked in her breath at the image of Ilan Bodnar, looking at her.

"Ziva, we meet again. I told you that I could always find you. I just did not expect to find you here." He looked well-kempt, and calm.

Ziva's eyes flashed in anger. "Where did you expect me to be, Ilan? At home living my life as if nothing happened? Maybe you are a heartless monster, but I am not!"

Tony and Adam were on their cell phones, each to their own agencies trying to get a fix on the lap top signal. They knew he had to be nearby. Tony quickly talked to McGee, while encouraging Ziva to keep him online.

"It was a sad but necessary incident, Ziva. You know it was for the best. You are better off without Eli, as am I. He did nothing for you, or me." Ilan smiled as if that explained everything.

"It was not necessary and you will pay!" Ziva spat at him. As Tony held on while McGee worked his magic, he could see the shutters start to come down on Ziva's eyes, her expression and demeanor retreating into that waste hole of existence called Mossad. Inside, he was panicking, knowing he was losing her right in front of his eyes.

"Ah, Ziva. Vendetta's lead to nothing but heartache. You must rid yourself of this insane desire and stop what you are doing." Ilan spoke quietly.

"He is in the Bahnhof!" Adam blurted out. Almost before the words were out of his mouth, Ziva had slammed the laptop close, put it in her bag and took off.

"Shit!" Tony exclaimed, running after her and Adam. He had new appreciation of Ziva's Mossad skills, as her training kicked into overdrive. She plowed through visitors and tourists milling about the ticketing area and the train platforms.

Ziva's heart was racing. She thought nothing, felt nothing. The people around her were blurs, her eyes searching for the elusive face of Ilan Bodnar. Nothing else mattered, no one else mattered…

Tony stopped to catch his breath, peering around a corner. He could see Esher but not Ziva. Esher had slowed down, his gun out, his stance alert.

"McGee, start tracking Ziva's disk _now_! I don't give a shit about Bodnar. I've lost Ziva!"

"NO!" Ziva yelled out. The train was pulling away. Up ahead, she could see Ilan looking out of one of the window, grinning maliciously. She fired into the train, expecting it to stop but of 'course it didn't. Travelers screamed and ran for cover.

Tony's heart stopped when he heard the gunshots. "Ziva…" He cried under his breath. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him to the platform, to see Ziva on her knees and surrounded by several Bundespolizei.

"Federal Agent!" Tony called out, and then realized he didn't have his badge. Adam was already showing his credentials to the officers, explaining in rapid German that they were hunting for a terrorist and he had boarded the train.

After a few tense moments, Ziva was allowed to rise. Tony rushed to her side and grabbed her face. Her eyes were vacant, and she didn't register his presence.

"Don't do this, Ziva." Tony whispered in a rush. "Don't you leave me."

Ziva jerked slightly, and then her eyes became unglazed. She looked at Tony in surprise, then at the German police surrounding her. Adam touched his arm. "We are free to go, but we have been warned to leave the city by morning."

Tony looked at their new ally and nodded. Putting his arm around Ziva, he forced her to follow him back to the hotel, back to failure.

Once they had arrived at the hotel, Tony made Ziva lie down. It wasn't very private but at least she could decompress for a bit. Tony sat cautiously with Adam, sizing him up as he drank his tea. Tony decided to not tell him about the new developments from their end: it was none of his business, and he couldn't do anything about it anyway. He also chose to say nothing about Monique.

"How long have you been with Bodnar's little group?" Tony asked, trying to get a feel for this guy. It took a long time for him to be cordial with Malachi, but his relationship with Ziva had been fraught with lies and betrayal.

This Officer had never worked with Ziva and in fact had never actually met her. After discussing it with Gibbs, they seriously considered not using Malachi at all. They didn't want any involvement by Israel in case this went south. They finally decided that they would take information from Malachi, but would not instruct him in any way, thereby keeping any thought that they used a foreign nation to work against a CIA intelligence operation.

Now that was thrown out the window. Tony sighed as he waited for Adam to reply to his query.

**NCIS **

Mossad Director Orlie Elbaz sat herself at the Director's table, intent on presenting her views regarding the search for Bodnar. She had come to Washington after one of her Officers had been killed. NCIS was convinced his death had to do with Bodnar, but hadn't been able to find the person who had killed Officer Amir Mantel.

As they sat there, Vance received a call from the Berlin authorities. He listened with growing alarm as the official described the scene at the train station.

"I understand, yes. They are my Agents. Yes, there are there searching for a terrorist, but they are under strict orders to apprehend only. Yes, thank you." Vance slammed the phone down and glared at Elbaz.

"It would appear my Agents were approached by Mossad to join forces and take out Bodnar." He said angrily.

Gibbs looked heavenward, groaning inwardly. This was exactly what he didn't want to happen. "What happened, Director?"

"I don't know the particulars, but Agent David and Officer…" He looked down at his notes. "Officer Eshel chased Bodnar down in the train station. Agent David fired several shots at a train Bodnar had boarded, before it left." He glared at Gibbs this time.

Gibbs paled and rubbed his face. _"Ziva took shots at a train? What was happening over there?"_

Director Elbaz looked at them both with authority. "I instructed Officer Esher to contact your Agents and assist them in finding Bodnar. Was this not the plan? When I spoke to Ziva she indicated that this was why she had come: to exact revenge on her father's killer. I have two Officers who have infiltrated Bodnar's group. We could have taken him out at any time. We believed it to be Ziva's right."

Vance looked angry. "Well, it's not so easy for us over here. We have other Agencies that have been tasked with the Bodnar problem. We can't just take off and do what we want, unlike Mossad apparently."

Elbaz was adamant. "If we act together, we are stronger! Why can you not see that? _Use_ our resources, _use_ our operatives. They will end this nightmare now."

Vance stood up and placed himself in front of the Mossad Director. "Director, you may plan whatever operation you like. Hell, kill the Bastard! I won't lose any sleep over that and maybe, finally, I will get a good night's rest. But you call your Officers off. I've got two Agents abroad working without a playbook. From what I just heard, Agent David has already reverted back to her old Mossad ways."

"Excellent! That is what she needs to do to be successful. She cannot bring him in. Bodnar will kill her first."

Gibbs stood at that. This was getting out of hand. Vance leaned down slightly and stared at Director Elbaz. "I have already decided that I am recalling Agents David and DiNozzo. Game ends now." They stared each other down, neither willing to look away.

Director Elbaz finally ended the standoff, sitting back in her chair. "Director Vance, I can assure you that this is not a game. But you do what you must. Ilan Bodnar had the Director of Mossad assassinated. We will find him and we will bring him to justice."

Vance set his mouth in a grim line. "That is your prerogative. Just keep away from my Agents."

Director Elbaz frowned. "I know you and Eli had a cordial working relationship. Having his daughter work for you gave you another connection, beyond your previous interactions."

Vance stiffened, realizing she knew about his past with Eli. "Yes, we were friends and colleagues. We respected each other and the job each of us had to do with our own Agencies."

"Yes," Elbaz nodded. "The job each of us has to do. I had hoped that Mossad and NCIS could continue with the same relationship that was present under the leadership of Eli David. Am I mistaken that this will happen?"

Vance looked startled at the question. "It is my sincere hope that NCIS and Mossad will continue to work together, toward common goals. This does not change that."

"Very well. It is my desire as well. I will contact my Officers, Director Vance, and instruct them to continue on their own."

"Thank you, Director Elbaz. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated. And we will let you know the minute we have a suspect." He gently reminded her of her fallen Officer.

She lowered her head and closed her eyes. "Thank you. I must take your leave now. It has been a pleasure to finally meet you both. Director Vance, Special Agent Gibbs." Elbaz left the office, and met up with her escort.

Vance shut his door. "What in the hell is David thinking, shooting her gun at a train? This is becoming a political nightmare. You go bring them home, Gibbs. Now!"

Gibbs pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to wrap his head around how fucked up everything was. A soft knock on Vance's door prevented him from answering.

Vance snarled "come in!" and McGee reluctantly opened the door.

"Am I interrupting?" He looked nervous.

"What is it, McGee?" Gibbs asked, exhausted by the events of the meeting with Elbaz.

"I wanted to let you know that Tony called me to put a tracer on Ziva's laptop. Bodnar contacted her via video messaging." Vance and Gibbs both looked up at that.

"When did this happen, McGee?" Vance asked.

McGee looked sheepish. "About an hour ago. I meant to tell you sooner, but you were in a meeting with…"

"Yeah, ok McGee, I get it." Gibbs interrupted. "Did you find him?"

"Yeah, but someone else did before I did. I heard someone yell 'He's in the Bahnhof' and then a lot of commotion. Tony stayed on the line and I could tell he was running. After about two minutes he asked me to track Ziva's disk. He lost her, Boss." McGee looked devastated, having to give this report.

"I've tried to get in touch with him, but I don't have a number. I'm sorry, Gibbs."

Gibbs was quiet, thinking how glad he was that Tony had convinced Ziva to place one of those tracking disks on her wrist. He hadn't considered the possibilities, but he realized now that he would find them.

Vance cocked his head. "McGee, Agent DiNozzo told you that Bodnar had contacted Agent David?"

McGee looked surprised at the question, but nodded. "Yes, a video email." Gibbs looked at Vance.

"He was baiting her. That explains a lot, Leon." Gibbs said quietly.

"It doesn't explain her shooting up a train, Gibbs! She could have hit an innocent bystander." Vance was still livid about the incident.

McGee's eyes bugged out. "Wait…what? Ziva shot up a train? How do you know that? Why would she do something like that?"

Gibbs turned to McGee. "They were chasing after Bodnar. He boarded the train. I can only assume Ziva thought by firing her weapon the train wouldn't leave the platform."

"Enough of this, Gibbs. We all know what assuming does. I for one do not intend to be made an ass of. Go to Germany. You bring _their_ asses back."

_**All I can say is WOW at the new promo for "Berlin". I hope what they showed wasn't the entire dance sequence. I knew from a Tweet MW posted that they ended up in bed, but I figured they would share a bed anyway, as they have done it before. Whether or not anything happens or not…I doubt we will see anything overt, but it may be implied, which is fine with me. I just hope they don't ruin the TIVA moments like they did in "Chasing Ghosts". Thanks as always for your great support. Only four more eps left in the Season. Unbelievable!**_


	51. Chapter 51

"_**It doesn't explain her shooting up a train, Gibbs! She could have hit an innocent bystander." Vance was still livid about the incident.**_

_**McGee's eyes bugged out. "Wait…what? Ziva shot up a train? How do you know that? Why would she do something like that?"**_

_**Gibbs turned to McGee. "They were chasing after Bodnar. He boarded the train. I can only assume Ziva thought by firing her weapon the train wouldn't leave the platform."**_

"_**Enough of this, Gibbs. We all know what assuming does. I for one do not intend to be made an ass of. Go to Germany. You bring their asses back." **_

Vignette Eleven: Part Twenty

**Berlin, Germany**

The mood in the hotel room was somber. Ziva stared at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts. Tony had tried to get her to drink some tea, but she just turned away.

Adam Eshel had told Tony that he had been with Bodnar from the beginning. "We had an idea that he was planning a coup. Director David wanted me to keep tabs on him. Little did we suspect his true mission, otherwise I would have…" Eshel stopped, overcome with emotion.

"Malachi joined after the killing. I have to admit I was wary of him being there; he was known to have been a favorite of Director David's. But that made it all the more plausible. Malachi was very convincing in his plea to join Bodnar; that he had been playing the Director all of these years, waiting for such a moment." He shook his head sadly.

Tony glanced over his shoulder at Ziva, and then gave Eshel his full attention. "Look, don't take this the wrong way. I really appreciate having another gun with us, but I don't like how being around Mossad is affecting Ziva. She…she's going back to her Mossad ways. I'm losing her, and I don't like that one bit!" Tony glared at him.

Adam looked unsympathetic. "Whether you want to believe it or not, Ziva _is_ Mossad. Changing her job does not alter that fact. I have not changed her, her father's death has. If you want to keep Ziva, you need to be by her side, and understand what she is going through and do not judge." He got up and looked out the window.

Tony sat, stunned. _"Was he not supporting Ziva? Has he not been understanding?"_ He looked at her again, lying in the bed, staring at the ceiling. He decided to ignore Esher and went over to where she was, sitting next to her.

"Ziva, look at me." He asked her, trying to sound calm.

Ziva continued to stare at the ceiling. "I had him. He was there, and I let him get away." Her voice was hollow, empty.

"What? No! Ziva, you didn't let him get away. He got away from _all_ of us. This is just the first time we found him. We will find him again, and we will get him!" Tony grabbed her hand.

Ziva turned her head, to look at Tony. He was dismayed at how sad and pale she looked. "Do you really think so?" She whispered.

Tony turned so he could look her full in the face. He ran his finger across her cheek. "Of that, I am certain." He smiled when he saw a ghost of a smile return to her face.

"Look, I understand your Mossad training kicking back in, and I will try to stay out of your way and not try to hold you back. Just please promise me that you won't take off without telling me, please?" Tony's voice was low and full of emotion.

Ziva rolled up on her side and half sat up, so that she was now facing him as well. She put her hand over his heart, smiling as he covered her hand with his. "I promise, Tony."

Tony closed his eyes and bent his head. Ziva kissed the top of his head and rested her forehead against his.

Sighing, Ziva forced herself to rise. "We need to eat something and then find a new strategy." She spoke with more authority than she felt. Tony nodded quietly and looked at some restaurant menus.

"I will take care of the food; I know the area very well." Adam spoke up. He grabbed his jacket and left the room. Tony and Ziva looked at each other.

"I am sorry, Tony, for taking off like that. I do not know what I was thinking." Ziva shook her head, disgusted with herself.

"You _weren't_ thinking." He answered back, causing her to look up in surprise, her eyes narrowed in anger.

He held up his hand. "Hold on. What I meant is that you just did what you normally do; you didn't _have_ to think about it. That doesn't mean I liked it, or that I don't hope you try to rein it in next time, but…" Tony trailed off, not really sure how he could really tell Ziva how she should be responding to this situation.

Ziva sat down on the sofa, rubbing her temples. "He was so close! If I could have got him, we could be heading home now." Apathy had left the room, anger had returned to take its place.

Tony sat next to her, letting her vent. He knew what it felt like to have nothing but revenge in your heart.

He remembered her promise that she would not kill Bodnar, that she would bring him in. Seeing her now, after having seen him and been within a fingernail of reaching him, he began to doubt that resolve. He only hoped that if she couldn't get past the knowledge that he was a blood relative, that she could live with herself if she chose the unthinkable.

He took her hand. "Ziva, I am behind you one hundred per cent; you know that right?" Tony looked into her eyes, searching for the Ziva he loved.

"But?" She asked, not really wanting to hear what he had to say.

Tony rubbed his jaw and sighed. "No 'buts'…except, _please_ think very hard how you want this to go down. I will support you and stand by you. But make sure you know exactly how you want this to play out. Plan it, think about it; make sure it goes the way you want it to. Do not let emotion and anger dictate how this all ends."

Ziva looked at Tony, astonished. She never loved him more than she did right at that moment. Overwhelmed, she kissed him deeply, catching him off guard. Gratified, he wrapped his arms around her, deepening the kiss.

"I love you so much, Ziva. I don't want to lose you. Please be careful. Please come back to me. I can't do this without you." Tony murmured into her hair.

She rubbed his neck, whispering words of love and encouragement. She was sorry Adam would be back; they really needed to be alone for the time being. A knock on the door reminded them of their third wheel.

Tony groaned, and grabbed another quick kiss. "Love you." He whispered as he went to the door. After checking the peephole, he opened it up to let Adam back in with the food.

**Outside Berlin**

Ilan Bodnar sat down in the study at his family home on the outskirts of Berlin. His laptop was open and he briefly considered contacting Ziva again, to taunt her. He grimaced. She had nearly caught him, much to his surprise.

He had forgotten how fast and agile she was. And was that Eshel with her? The traitor! He tried to think of what he had revealed to him, what plans he had discussed.

He took a sip of his wine, a fine bottle of Riesling. His family was well-off and they had their own label. He peered at the clear liquid as he swirl it around his goblet, as if it was a crystal ball ready to reveal his future.

He missed Monique, he decided. He would send for her, have her come to take care of him. He swallowed his wine at once, stood and began pacing. He had underestimated Ziva's need for revenge.

He really thought her American employers would keep her occupied as she worked through her grief. He certainly didn't expect them to approve her to come after him. No: she must have left without telling anyone. A rogue. He smiled; a twisted evil smile.

A rogue without support; no longer Israeli, turning her back on America. Ziva had death in her heart. Bodnar decided he would help her reach her goal.

**Berlin**

Tony felt better after he had eaten dinner. The beer was heavier than he preferred, but it was drinkable. He insisted that Ziva and Adam speak English only, no Hebrew. Ziva was at first angry he told them that, accusing him of not trusting her.

But Adam diffused the situation, saying it made sense and it was easier to not have to repeat everything. Ziva grunted and said under her breath that Tony needed to make an effort to learn Hebrew, a remark Tony heard and took to heart.

Truth be told, he _had_ been making an effort, and had improved considerably. But the rapid-fire dialog that he knew would spew forth between the two he wouldn't have a prayer in following.

"Adam, there is something you need to be aware of." Ziva began as they settled down after dinner to make further plans.

"You and Tony are married?" He asked, looking pointedly at their rings and trying to dispel some of the tension.

Ziva glared at him, and then burst out laughing. Adam smiled, glad and relieved that he could get her to relax a bit. He knew how upset Tony was over the events of the afternoon. He wanted to let them know he was really an ok guy and they could be themselves.

"Well, that's not technically true. Our aliases are married. Since Bodnar knows Ziva is here, I guess we don't have to pretend to be Tommy and Lisa anymore." Tony felt more than a twinge of dismay at that thought.

Ziva glanced at Tony, also taken aback by his pronouncement. She would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that she had enjoyed being "married" to Tony. She sighed and started to take off the rings. Tony grabbed her hand to stop her. They looked at each, staring into each other's eyes.

"Tony, I do not want anything to happen to your mother's ring. I would be devastated if I lost it, or ruined it. It will be safer here." Ziva didn't want to take the rings off, but felt she had no justification in wearing it.

Tony nodded reluctantly and took back the rings. He was brought back to the night before his wedding with Wendy, when she had unceremoniously called it off. He didn't get _that_ ring back, and he was grateful years later his father had not given him his mother's ring.

But the feeling was just as painful as if Ziva had left him. He felt like a big hole had been blown into his heart. Feeling the need to keep some measure of his manhood, Tony spoke as he carefully tucked the rings away.

"Yeah, well we may not be really married, but we _are_ a real couple. Ziva and I are together." He almost said it as a challenge. Ziva smiled softly, knowing he felt rejected at the moment, even though that was not her intent.

"I see. Actually, it _is_ rather obvious. But it is not a problem for me, if that is your concern." Adam took a sip of his beer.

"Actually, we weren't concerned about that at all, Adam." Ziva countered. "But there is something you will be concerned to hear."

Adam immediately gave her his attention, wondering what else she could have been referring to.

"I was given my father's papers from his office recently; just this last week really. I discovered something about his past that I was not aware of, about my past. Ilan Bodnar is my blood brother. My parents had him before they were married and gave him up for adoption."

Adam's mouth worked but no sound came out. He looked at Ziva and then turned to Tony, shocked. "Oh, my God! Does Ilan know? Is that why he killed Director David?"

Tony shook his head. "We're thinking he doesn't, which will make telling him very interesting, don't you think?"

Adam sat up. "You are hoping to destabilize him with this news, to use the shock factor as a means to get his guard down, yes?"

Ziva nodded in acknowledgement. "I am hoping he will be so distraught over this news that he will be easy to overcome. But I am not holding my breath." She handed over some papers.

"These are places Ilan is known to frequent. He has some family homes here. Do you think he would go to one of these?" Adam took the papers and studied them in surprise.

"I am not aware of these family homes. He has not spoken of them and we have not met at any of them. I would consider these very plausible safe houses for him to retreat to. Especially…"

He grabbed a map as he studied the sheet. "Here. This home is along the train route he took earlier. He could have very well gone to there." He looked up expectantly.

Ziva was quiet. Her mind was rapidly working over the scenario, the pros and cons. They would have the element of surprise, but they didn't know what sort of defenses he had set up or who he had with him.

Ziva glanced at Tony, who looked decidedly unhappy. He knew what she was thinking. The last thing he wanted was a night operation. But then he remembered the night vision binoculars Interpol had provided them. And they both were marked with the tracking disks. He wondered briefly if they should suggest to Adam that he place a tracking disk on himself.

He knew Ziva was waiting for him to respond in some way. He forced himself to smile. "When do we go?" He asked.

He could see the tension leave Ziva's shoulders as the words left his lips. She looked at him with glistening eyes, knowing how hard it was for him to agree to this. "I know what you are thinking Tony. I do not want a night operation either, although it would give us a decided advantage. No, I think we hit at first light."

Tony breathed a sigh of relief, and brought up the tracking disks and showed them to Adam. The Mossad Officer was amazed and intrigued by the technology and began asking so many questions about them that Tony had to cut him off. "Hey, I'll introduce you to McGee and Abby, they can tell you all about them ad nauseum. In the meantime, do you want to join the club?" Tony held out a disk.

Adam looked at it closely. "You have done this to yourselves?" He asked, dubious.

"Oh yeah. We're card-carrying members. Look you don't have to, but if you get separated from us, we'll have to figure out some other way to find you."

Adam snorted. "Are you going to run around with a laptop? How do you expect to use this in the field?"

Tony smiled and held up the iPad. "Small, compact and incredibly easy to use. You should try it."

Adam chuckled. "Ok, my friend. You have convinced me. Disk me."

"Oh, God that sounded like something I really don't want you to repeat." Tony grimaced. He placed a dot on Adam's wrist. He then entered the disk number into the software to activate it.

Adam looked surprised. "That is it?"

"That is it." Ziva confirmed. They showed him the pulsing dots on the map.

They quickly made their plans and packed their gear. Ziva had her knives and two guns. Tony insisted that she wear a flak jacket, much to her annoyance.

"Then you must wear one, Tony." She retorted.

"Oh, I plan to, don't worry about that. I have no intention of getting shot." He looked very worried at the possibility of either of them getting hurt, or the unthinkable: killed.

Ziva stared at him with resolve, not wanting to crack under the rampant emotions playing below the surface.

Adam cleared his throat. "Very well, I will take my leave and join you at the train station at 0430. There will be one available at that time."

Tony shook his head. "No train. We drive. We need a quick getaway. Besides, how were you planning to get all of this gear on the train?

Adam smiled. "I did not saying we would be ticketed passengers."

Ziva snorted, trying to curtail her chuckle at Adam's intent. Tony's eyes widened at his meaning and shook his head. "My boss would really like you, I think. But we need to not break any other laws if we can avoid it. Ziva and I would like to go back to NCIS, thank you very much."

Ziva bit her lip, wondering if Tony had said too much about their current situation with the CIA and Homeland Security. She didn't want to scare Adam off if he thought they were not sanctioned for this mission.

If Adam thought anything about Tony's comment, he didn't show it. "Very well, it is an hour drive from here. I will meet you back here at the hotel, same time." He kissed Ziva on both cheeks and shook Tony's hand.

After Ziva had closed the door and locked it securely, she looked at her watch. "We do not have much time, we better get some sleep."

Tony came to her side and wrapped his arms around her. "Oh, I intend to go to bed. Sleep? That remains to be seen." He kissed Ziva deeply, his desire and fear mixed in a roiling mass of emotion.

Ziva kissed him back and excused herself. When she returned from the bathroom, she found him stretched out on the bed, fully clothed, eyes shut. She carefully lay down on the bed, not wanting to disturb him. He opened his eyes and turned to look at her. He smiled as his eyes drank in her features and then turned on his side to face her. Soon they were caught up in their own little world: a world that was dangerously poised to fracture into a million pieces.

Intellectually, Tony was supremely confident of their abilities. Emotionally, he knew how things could go horribly wrong. All he could think was that this could be their last night together. He intended to make it memorable.

**NATO Base Geilenkirchen**

Gibbs and McGee landed at midnight at the NATO base near the border of the Netherlands. Gibbs had given McGee the opportunity to say "yes" or "no" to accompanying him to Berlin. He was proud that Tim had confronted his fears head on and had decided to come with him.

He was counting on McGee to keep tabs on everyone's whereabouts, while he drove and found his Agents. Gibbs commandeered a vehicle and they immediately took off toward Berlin.

Tim was excited and nervous. Gibbs had read him in regarding the current situation with Homeland and the CIA. He was gratified that Gibbs gave him the option rather than just decide to not include him. It was pride and his desire to help Tony and Ziva that caused him to say yes. He knew they could all get into trouble over this, but some things were worth fighting for, weren't they?

Getting onto the E30, Tim calculated the drive to Berlin, almost six hours before they could try to locate Tony and Ziva.

**Berlin**

They awoke around three-thirty a.m., groggy and disoriented. Their sleep had been an exhausted slumber of tangled limbs, each not wanting to let go of each other, even in sleep.

Tony groaned as he stood up and stretched his back. "You know: I really _am_ getting too old for this." His back popped and cracked as he twisted left and right.

Ziva put her hand on his chest and patted it. "After this, I promise no more international jaunts."

"Jaunts? Is that what this is? Well, at least it has a happy, musical ring to it." He shook his head as he chuckled.

He watched Ziva carefully prepared her weapons for the mission. He marveled at her methodical and single-minded ministrations as she carefully placed each gun and knife for maximum availability.

Adam arrived shortly before his designated time and took the extra minutes to again check his munitions.

"Here you go." He helped Ziva put the Kevlar vest on. Adam finished checking his weapons and then Tony showed him the bounty they had received from Interpol.

"Flash bombs, tear gas but no masks: what is the point of that?" Adam put the tear gas aside so they wouldn't accidently take it with them.

"Hmm…chloroform? Micro-injectors? I can only wish we get so close to him. Handcuffs, yes we will bring all of this." Adam finished looking through their stuff.

"You say you were supplied by Interpol?" He looked at Tony.

Tony nodded. "We helped them out, so they helped us out." He shrugged like it was no big deal.

Adam knew better. They must have done something of significance for Interpol to act in such a way. He developed a new appreciation for this team in front of him. He was assured of Ziva's skill since she was Mossad. It was Tony that was the unknown entity.

Tony pulled out some earwigs. "Channel two." He said. They all placed them in their ears and tested the devices. They all gave a thumb's up.

Tony hesitated for a second. "Adam, can you give us a second…or twenty?"

If Adam looked surprised, he didn't show it. He nodded once and stepped outside the hotel room. Ziva looked at Tony, not sure what he was going to say. She just hoped he wouldn't give one last try to talk her out of this.

To her shock, he had dropped to one knee in front of her. He took her hand and slipped the engagement ring back on. "Ziva, these past months have been the most amazing in my life. The most scary as well, but I wouldn't trade them for the world. I don't know what life awaits us when we get back, but I know that I want to live it with you. Ziva, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?"

Ziva listened in stunned silence as Tony proposed to her. She hesitated slightly, not wanting to give him hope for their future when she knew very well that one or all three of them may not survive the day. But then she realized that in order to live, one must have hope. Could she deny Tony this hope? Could she deny herself?

Tony looked expectantly at her, licking his lips as she didn't answer. She went down to her knees, so that they were on the same level. Taking his face in her hands she kissed him with as much ardor as she could dare without allowing it to progress into something they couldn't stop.

Tony felt the tears on her face, and realized that his were co-mingling with hers. She pulled back and looked at him, stroking his cheek.

"Yes, Tony. I love you. I will marry you." Tony pulled her into a crushing kiss, shaking with emotion.

**Outside Berlin**

Monique carefully removed herself from Bodnar's embrace and quietly got dressed. She knew one of his members had left, probably to meet with Ziva and Tony. That meant something would be happening, sooner rather than later.

She did not intend to be caught in the crossfire if she could help it. She slipped into the study and opened up Bodnar's laptop. Signing in with her nom de plume, she quickly hacked into the CIA's security database. She changed some information regarding the present whereabouts of two certain NCIS Agents, hoping to give them some lead time.

She closed the laptop, preventing anyone from tracking "MC" to this home outside of Berlin.

_**Tuesday should be exciting. I am getting bad vibes about the Cote/contract situation, but this has happened before. Thanks as always for the amazing reviews and supports. I will probably finish this by next week. And I doubt "MC" will be revisited, but I thought it added an intriguing element, since Iran's database was hacked after the death of Eli and then two eps later they focus on this mysterious person. I think it's all related and may even go back to Harper Dearing hacking into MTAC.**_


	52. Chapter 52

_**Outside Berlin**_

_**Monique carefully removed herself from Bodnar's embrace and quietly got dressed. She knew one of his members had left, probably to meet with Ziva and Tony. That meant something would be happening, sooner rather than later.**_

_**She did not intend to be caught in the crossfire if she could help it. She slipped into the study and opened up Bodnar's laptop. Signing in with her nom de plume, she quickly hacked into the CIA's security database. She changed some information regarding the present whereabouts of two certain NCIS Agents, hoping to give them some lead time. **_

_**She closed the laptop, preventing anyone from tracking "MC" to this home outside of Berlin.**_

**Ok, I admit it: I was totally shocked by the ending of "Berlin". They took such a different tangent than I imagined I wasn't sure I could salvage this story. I knew Tony got his face cut, but I really thought it was during the fight with Bodnar in Berlin. After debating back and forth, I decided to see if I could make what happened on the show fit into my story. As a result, there will be some dialog and action from the episode in this. It will be noted in italics, as no copyright infringement is intended. There are so many fics out there regarding the crash that I will be hard pressed to come up with a different scenario than one that has already been presented. So I will not try. I am writing what I think may happen. If others think the same thing, I am not trying to steal your thunder.**

**I do not own NCIS, its characters or its stories, although if I did that car crash would never have happened. Enough already with the TIVA obstacles!**

Vignette Eleven: Part Twenty-one

McGee had his laptop open, typing rapidly as he opened up the tracking software. "We are in, Boss…and we have them on the move." McGee looked closer.

"Uh, actually Boss, they are moving pretty quickly." He frowned adjusting the map image.

"What do you mean, McGee? Are they driving a car? On a train? Flying somewhere?" Gibbs glanced briefly at Tim before turning his eyes back to the road.

"It looks like…Boss; they are heading right for us. Driving."

Gibbs' phone rang. "Yes, Director." He answered. Gibbs rolled his eyes as Vance filled him in of the latest aspects of the case involving the slain Mossad Officer. He cursed under his breath. Was there anything Mossad wouldn't do to advance their agenda? Why couldn't they be upfront and honest with them? He looked at McGee, who was staring at him with concern.

"Ok, McGee. Keep an eye on them. When they get within fifty miles of us, give them a call." Gibbs stepped on the gas. He _loved_ the German roads.

**Reckhan, in Brandenburg**

Tony pulled off the E30 and entered the Kloster Lehnin municipality. They drove through the small villages until they came upon their destination.

Tony pulled into a secluded area and parked. He turned to Ziva and Adam. "Where is the house from here?"

Ziva looked at the iPad and glanced around. "It is a half mile down that road. It is in town, but close to the outskirts." She looked up. "Do you think we should risk driving down there? Perhaps we should leave the car here, out of site?"

Tony preferred having the car a little closer in case they really needed to get out of there quickly. A car was much faster than on foot. Adam was mixed. "Bodnar may be warned of our coming if he hears the car. There is no traffic at this hour. I agree that the car _could_ be closer, but I believe the risk is too great."

Tony gave in, and started grabbing the gear. "Well, at least it's not December and the middle of a blizzard." He said optimistically.

Adam just looked at him. Tony mouthed _"okay"_ and got back to his task. Ziva smiled at him, but quickly focused her mind on the task at hand. She noticed Tony was getting quiet and carefully checking everything out. She was relieved that he was getting into operational mode.

They moved quietly, keeping in the shadows. The town was quaint, with a small square. Tree-lined avenues graced town and single family homes. The Bodnar home was at the end of the square, a regal single family structure. When they were about ten feet from the home, a lone figure stepped out from the shadows.

"Don't move!" Ziva and Adam hissed. Tony had his weapon trained on the assailant. The figure had his hands raised with open palms to show them he was not holding a weapon.

"It is I." Malachi stepped forward so they could see his face. Ziva growled and grabbed his arm.

"What were you thinking? We could have shot you! What are you doing here?" Ziva was livid that Malachi would just show up.

"You need my help. Four against one are better odds, yes?" Malachi looked Ziva in the eye, and then turned to Adam and Tony.

"Do you know for certain that Bodnar is alone in the home? Could he have some of his men in there?" Adam asked.

"I have been watching the home for days. He arrived yesterday late afternoon. Only one person has come, the woman." Malachi looked significantly at Ziva.

"_Monique is here?"_ Ziva felt a chill go through her. She did not want her friend to get caught in the crossfire, should it come to that.

Tony swore under his breath, knowing what this could do to their plans. Adam looked at Malachi. "And what have you been doing since yesterday? Waiting for us? How did you know we would come?"

Ziva and Tony jerked at that and stared at Malachi. The air crackled with tension. "I have heard from our Director. I know what happened at the train station." He turned to Ziva and Tony.

"Your superiors know as well and are quite displeased from what I understand. Agent Gibbs has been sent to bring you home."

Ziva's shoulders dropped in defeat. Tony wasn't too surprised at this news, but he was worried about what this really meant. Was this about Ziva shooting up a train, or about Homeland Security and the CIA wanting them called off?

"We have been ordered to continue and remove the target." Malachi continued. "It was just happenstance that I was here when he arrived. I have all of his homes under surveillance. It would appear that you may have a change in plans. We are under no such restrictions." He looked significantly at Ziva.

Ziva stiffened at that and looked at Tony. That would certainly solve their problems: Bodnar would be dead, and they couldn't be held responsible. They spoke with their eyes, so accustomed to this peculiar form of communication.

Slowly, Ziva nodded. "Yes, there has been a change in plans. We are now going to bring Bodnar in. He needs to pay for his actions, Malachi. And I need to see him and speak to him, to tell him what he has done."

Malachi looked angry. "Tell him what he has done? He has killed your father, Ziva! He _knows_ what he has done. Have they twisted your thoughts? Have they made you unsure of your path, of what you must do?" He glared at Tony, blaming him for Ziva's reticence.

"Yes, he killed my father, Malachi. But he also killed his own father! He did not know. I did not know. But now I do and I need to tell him what his sins are. And do not reprimand me. I answer to a different government than you do. Do you act on your own or at the bidding of Mossad?" Ziva spat at him.

Malachi blanched when Ziva said that Bodnar had killed his own father. Eli David was the father of Ilan Bodnar? He sighed heavily and rubbed his face, his thoughts spinning wildly. This was news of the worst sort. He understood that Ziva could not kill her own brother, as she had killed Ari Haswari. She was done with killing.

"What would you have me do?" He asked quietly.

"Help me. Help me to capture Ilan. I want to talk to him, to understand why he did this horrible thing. And Director Vance needs to see him as well, for his own closure." Ziva was breathing rapidly, anxious that they were wasting time and needed to get this done.

Malachi nodded slowly. "Very well. Adam and I will take the back."

Just then, Tony's iPad vibrated. Surprised, he looked at it, noting a waiting email. Cautiously, he opened it up. "It's from McGee!" He said quietly. He frowned as he read. "He and Gibbs are here, driving toward us. Gibbs wants me to call him now." Tony looked up; knowing Adam and Malachi would not be pleased to hear this.

Eshel nodded. "Make your call. Malachi and I will get into position in the back of the home." The two took off and went around the corner.

Tony pulled out his phone and called Gibbs. After the third ring he finally answered. "Where are you?" Gibbs asked.

"Hey, it's nice to talk to you too, Boss." Tony responded. "We are outside Bodnar's home in Reckhan. He came here yesterday and as far as we can tell he is alone except for Monique."

"Who is 'we' Tony?" Gibbs barked.

"You know, the usual suspects: Ziva, me, Mossad…"

Gibbs looked at McGee. "Mossad is with them." McGee looked scared at that.

"Tony, what is your plan?" Gibbs frowned.

"Adam and Malachi are out back. Mal has been here for a few days watching the house. He put surveillance cameras inside. Ziva and I will go in the front." Tony reported.

Gibbs sighed. "I don't suppose I can talk you into waiting until we get there?" He checked his watch.

Tony looked at Ziva, who gave him a frustrated shake of the head.

"Boss Lady wants to know how far away you are." Tony temporized.

Ziva glared at him as he covered the phone with one hand. "I am not going to let him think you are going against orders, Ziva!" He whispered. Ziva looked away and took a few steps toward the house.

McGee looked at Gibbs. "We're another thirty minutes away, Boss. Twenty at the earliest."

Gibbs rubbed his face at that information. Taking a deep breath, he brought the phone back up to his mouth. "Ok, Tony, we can't get there in enough time. Be careful, we'll get there as soon as we can."

Tony hung up. Ziva looked at him, expecting Tony to say Gibbs had said to wait. Tony walked up to her and took her hand. "Let's go." He said, his face unreadable in the pre-dawn shadows.

Tony and Ziva started to approach the home, but then Ziva pulled him aside and kissed him. "I want you to promise me something, Tony." She looked deeply into his eyes. "If something should happen to me…no let me finish!" Tony had started to shake his head.

"Tony! Promise me you will take this ring and give it to someone else. You deserve to be happy, to have a happy life. Promise me!" Ziva had held up her left hand, the diamond sparkling as it caught the streetlamp.

Tony closed his eyes and then cupped her face. "No one else will ever wear that ring. _Ever_!" His voice was ragged with emotion. He crushed his mouth to hers, his love stronger than ever.

Ziva touched her forehead to his, breathing in his scent, memorizing every square inch of his being. She finally nodded, and the veil came down.

Stealthily, they made their way to the door. She touched her ear, speaking quietly to Adam. "Set, ready to proceed."

Looking at Tony and nodding, she quickly picked the lock to the front door, Malachi having told them that there was no alarm system. In the back of the home, Adam and Malachi were entering through a cellar door.

Raising her weapon, Ziva whipped into the foyer, turning right and left. "Clear!" She whispered. Tony came behind, clearing the other side of the home.

Adam reported in to Ziva that the cellar was clear and that they were coming up. Quietly, they gathered at the foot of the stairs leading to the second level. Tony put aside his male pride and let the Mossad Kidon members lead the assault.

Tony was shocked at how quiet they were going up the stairs. He only hoped he could be half as quiet as they were. Once at the top of the stairs, Adam led the way, clearing room after room, until there was only one room at the end of the hall.

The four stood still, listening for signs of life. Ziva frowned. She knew Ilan snored worse than Tony did, and she heard nothing. Adrenalin pulsing through her veins, she threw open the door.

"Ilan!" She yelled. Tony checked the bathroom and Malachi checked the closets.

Adam looked at Ziva in distress. "He is not here." He turned to Malachi in anger. "You said he was here!" Tony rushed up; afraid that Adam might use Malachi as a punching bag.

"He must be here!" Malachi protested. He looked around as if Bodnar would magically appear.

"It would seem he has an escape hatch." Tony said drily

Ziva started to glare at him for his flippant remark, but then realized he was probably right. "Check the cellar again!" They all rushed downstairs, not caring how noisy they were. They flicked their flashlights around the dingy cellar, looking for any sign, looking for…

"There!" Tony pointed. The floor had scrape marks on it, where none should be. Ziva felt the wall, seeking a hinge or a spring. She pressed lightly and a portion of the wall came open, revealing a short flight of cement steps leading down a tunnel.

"He did have an escape route!" Adam sputtered.

"Dammit!" Tony muttered. He looked at Ziva, knowing she must be devastated to be so close, so close.

Ziva stared down the tunnel, seeing everything they had worked for the past two months disappear like a mist. Adam looked at Tony and went upstairs, dragging Malachi with him.

Tony stood quietly behind Ziva, not wanting to push her; letting her come to terms with the situation in her own way.

"You have not said anything, Tony." Ziva said quietly.

"_Just respecting your Bodnar Boundaries."_ He answered softly, moving closer. Ziva closed her eyes, defeat making her feel boneless.

"We had him." Ziva's voice broke.

Tony put his hand on her waist. "I know. We'll get him, Ziva. We will." He looked at her, willing her to believe.

She looked at her partner, her eyes glistening. "Ziva!" Adam's voice from upstairs interrupted their moment. Ziva became instantly alert again and she and Tony rushed up the cellars steps.

Malachi was in the hallway. "In here." He indicated. Ziva and Tony entered the room indicated by Malachi.

Ziva found herself in Ilan's study, Adam standing over his desk looking at a laptop. He stepped aside so that Ziva could take his place. Hesitantly, Ziva stepped in front of the laptop. It was on; a large icon named "Ziva" was blazing on the desktop.

Taking a deep breath, she clicked on the icon. Bodnar's face showed up, a video message he thoughtfully left for her. Ziva tamped down her anger and disappointment as she clicked "Play".

"_Ziva, there you are. I know you blame me for your father's death, Ziva. Nothing's black and white. You do not know the entire story. Explanations would require time we do not have. Perhaps, in a few days, nothing would make me happier. For now: take my word for it. Nothing is entirely as it seems. I wish things were different, Ziva. Please…forgive me and walk away_. I already told you_, vendettas lead to nothing but heartache. Goodbye, Ziva." _

Ziva wasn't sure if she should feel anger, disappointment or confusion. What did he mean nothing was as it seemed; that she didn't know the entire story? Of'course she knew instinctively that Ilan had not worked alone. He had to have had help to escape DC, and to elude the authorities all this time. Did he mean her father's killing? He had everything to gain by Eli's death. Was he saying he was the puppet, that someone else was pulling the strings?

"Ziva, we have to leave. Gibbs and McGee will be here soon." Tony's soft voice broke into her thoughts. She glanced up, startled. She nodded as she closed the laptop. Taking it with her, she followed Tony and went outside.

She turned to Adam and Malachi. "You both leave. You do not need to be here when Gibbs arrives. In fact, it would probably be better if you were not."

Adam and Malachi nodded, with Malachi giving her and Tony a knowing look. He had met the legend, and he did not want a repeat audience. They headed for Malachi's car, which was at the other end of town.

Ziva and Tony waited patiently outside the home, not saying anything. Five minutes later, Gibbs and McGee arrived. Seeing their defeated looks, Gibbs knew immediately that they had not apprehended Bodnar.

Sighing, Gibbs came up to his Agents. "What happened?" He asked.

"He wasn't here. Either he was tipped off or he just knew Ziva would track him here." Tony was grim.

Ziva handed Tim the laptop. "He left me a video message. There may be more on the laptop. I do not know." Her voice sounded hollow.

Gibbs was concerned by this turn of event. So much time, so much work. He engulfed Ziva in a hug, knowing how she must be feeling. "We'll get him, Ziva. I promise you." Tears pricked Ziva's eyes, as she buried her head into his shoulder. She stood back, her face stoic.

Tim had been working with the laptop. "Boss? I've found multiple airline reservations for Bodnar. Flying into Richmond, Philadelphia and New York." He looked up.

Ziva looked shocked at that. "Why would he go back to the U.S.? What is there for him?"

"You?" Tony answered hesitantly. Ziva turned to him.

"He had a chance tonight, if it was his desire to harm me. He knew I was here. Why leave now?" Ziva didn't accept the explanation.

"To throw you off the track?" Tony held his hands out. "He left his laptop for you, Ziva. He knew we would check it out. Maybe he's not really heading to any of those places. Maybe it's just another blind trail."

Gibbs sighed and looked at Tony. _"The Mossad Officer that was killed in DC was rogue, presumed by Mossad to be working with Bodnar. They sent a team to find Bodnar, believing he was actually in the U.S._ The others looked shocked at this admission. Ziva wondered briefly if Adam and Malachi knew of this duplicitousness. She looked up.

"Listen to his message to me. Maybe it will make more sense to you." She sighed.

Gibbs looked at Tony. "Go back to you hotel. Decompress, relax. Catch the first flight back to DC you can tomorrow. Let us know when you get in."

Tony and Ziva sucked in their breath, not able to believe that Gibbs was giving them some time alone to deal with this. Tony nodded gratefully and took Ziva's hand. "Where are you going now?"

Gibbs grimaced. "Back to Geilenkirchen. McGee and I will catch the next transport back. We have more work to do. You've done enough for one day." McGee didn't look pleased that they were turning right back around, without so much as a chance to rest or relax or…

"_Or what, Tim?"_ He chastised himself. _"Catch the sights? Play tourist? Buy something for Abby?" _ That last thought caught him by surprise. He said his goodbyes to Tony and Ziva and followed Gibbs back to their car.

Watching them leave, Tony and Ziva finally turned and walked slowly back to their car. A movement caught Ziva's eye and she tensed, causing Tony to grab her arm.

To their shock, Monique stepped out from the shadows enveloping their car.

"Monique! What are you doing here?" Ziva was immediately suspicious of her friend.

Monique recognized the tone. "I was hoping to see that you captured Bodnar, but it would appear that he has eluded you."

Tony glared at her. "Yeah. You wouldn't have had anything to do with that would you?" Monique turned sad eyes toward him.

"Perhaps, inadvertently. I knew you would come after him. I did not wish to be caught in the middle of a fire fight, so I left. He must have woken and realized I was gone. I can only assume that he understood my intention in leaving and removed himself. I am sorry."

"He did know we were coming, but I am not sure you can blame yourself, Monique." Ziva looked at her friend.

"Thank you, Ziva for those words. I have something for you that will hopefully lessen this blow." Tony and Ziva became alert and listened closely.

"_Ilan has drained all of his accounts. The other agencies have been searching for that one account that he would place his funds, pooling his resources; indicating his exact location."_ She held up a black velvet bag.

"What's that?" Tony asked.

"_Diamonds."_ Monique answered quietly. Ziva's eyes open wide in recognition.

"_I should have known!"_ She turned to Tony to explain. _"My father taught me to set up a network of diamond dealers in place in case I ever needed to get out fast; random dealers, difficult to trace. And since he anointed Bodnar as his 'honorary son'…"_

"_Eli probably gave Bodnar the same advice." Tony finished for her._

"_Exactly." Monique handed Ziva the bag. _"Guard these with your life, Ziva. Ilan cannot have these._ This is his entire fortune. With this, he will be able to disappear." _

Ziva took the bag, clutching it tightly. "Monique…"

Monique smiled sadly. "I must go, Ziva. No one will know you were here, other than those you have told. I have made sure of that. Good luck. Be careful." She got into her car and drove off, leaving Ziva and Tony standing in shock.

**Berlin Tegel Airport**

Ilan Bodnar settled into his first class seat. He felt smug, but also a great sense of relief. He was not ready to face Ziva, to tell her the truth. His companion finally boarded and took his seat.

"Well?" Bodnar asked.

"They returned to the hotel. It would appear that they are staying the night or at least taking a later flight."

Bodnar looked out the window. "Good. Let them have some final hours of bliss. This has all gotten out of hand. Terrible things are sure to happen that cannot be prevented. It has been set in motion, I can do nothing more." His companion nodded, feeling some remorse for the coming storm.

"Yes, nothing more can be done." He agreed.

Back at the hotel, Tony and Ziva lay together on the bed, holding hands. They both realized that the fantasy life they had been living was going to end. Ziva turned on her side, staring at Tony's face. "Things will be different now." She said quietly.

Tony looked at her. "It will be hard to not be so openly affectionate with each other at work. But we wouldn't be able to do that, anyway. We'll make it work, Ziva. I am highly motivated." He grinned widely at her.

Ziva chuckled at that and leaned in to kiss him, knowing their last night together in Europe would be memorable.

**Dulles Airport-Virginia**

After landing, Bodnar and his companion took a cab to their safe house. As Bodnar unpacked he suddenly became incensed. "My diamonds! They are gone." His face pinched in anger and agitation. Running his hands through his hair, he panicked. His carefully laid plans, in ruins!

"Monique!" He thought in disbelief. How could she betray him in this way? He knew that she favored Ziva. He turned to the other man. "Monique must have taken my diamonds. That is why she left early. She gave them to Ziva, I know she did!" He began pacing.

"What would you have me do?" The man asked.

"Stop them. Get me back my diamonds!"

**Berlin Tegel Airport**

Tony and Ziva boarded the latest flight out of Berlin they could get the next day, leaving at two-thirty p.m., which would land them at Dulles around eight-thirty p.m., a grueling twelve hour flight. They settled into their first class seats, lost in their own thoughts about the future.

Finally landed, they took a cab to Tony's apartment and got his car, to return to the Navy Yard. It had rained that evening, the streets wet and shiny. The unexpected shower had caused the temperature to drop, requiring jackets to ward off the chill in the air.

_Tony and Ziva drove through the quiet streets, heading back to the Navy Yard. Ziva opened the velvet bag, taking out one of the large diamonds and placing it against the fourth finger of her right hand._

"_Looks good on you._ Not as good as the one you're wearing though." Tony commented.

_Ziva smiled softly. "It's funny…things we decide are worth something." She pulled the drawstrings and closed the bag._

"_Well, hey._ Now that we have the diamonds, _he's got no funding. Is kind of hard to disappear broke." Tony glanced her way, and then turned his eyes back to the road. _

Ziva thought for a few moments. "I should have known Orlie would be so aggressive in trying to kill Bodnar. _I'm sure she wants him dead as badly as I do."_

"_I doubt that. It's her job but he was your father." Ziva glanced hesitantly over at Tony._

"_It's not __just__ her job." She began. Taking a deep breath, she spoke quietly. "Orlie was the reason my parents split up." _ The memory was still painful, and one she had never shared.

_Tony glanced at her at this new revelation. "I did not say anything because I did not think it mattered."_

_Tony looked forward again. "Did it?"_ He was bothered by this piece of news. Was there no end to her pain? Must she constantly be reminded?

"_She was a young officer. And my father was…weak." _The admission was difficult for Ziva, the memories of this terrible time rushing back to her._ "And then it just ended. And I always just told myself that that was just another rule she broke; in order to advance her career."_

_Ziva took a breath and considered the present circumstances. "But now I think…_she gave those orders for the same reason I went to hunt Bodnar. _Because maybe she loved my father."_

_Tony pulled to a stop at the red light, and turned to Ziva,_ _giving her his full attention and support._ He didn't know what to say at this revelation, so he felt it best to say nothing, to let Ziva get it out in her own way.

_Ziva pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to stop the tears she felt welling up in her eyes. "You know, I keep thinking if it were not for Orlie, things would have been different. I would be a different person."_

Tony knew that was his lead-in and he took it. Looking intently at his fiancé, he spoke with conviction_. "Then I should catch her before she leave." He touched Ziva's hand, intertwining their fingers together._

_Ziva looked at their clasped hands and glanced at Tony. "You know." He continued. "And thank her."_

_A soft smile formed on her face_, full of love and emotion that she wasn't sure should be expressed in the car. She felt so much love for Tony in this moment, knowing she never could have done any of this without him.

_Smiling back, Tony looked and saw the light had turned green. Still holding hands, he proceeded to drive. Ziva still looked at him, _trying to decide what she could possibly say at this moment to justify what she was feeling.

"_Tony…" She said quietly. Tony turned slightly toward her, still smiling widely. _

"_Yeah?" Still looking at her, he became suddenly aware of bright headlights barreling down on them. "ZIVA!" He yelled._

_He tried to pull her away from the onslaught, his fear and impotence at being able to prevent the inevitable mocking him._

_Catching a brief glimpse of the headlights, Ziva threw up her right arm to shield her face and head, knowing it was probably futile._

_The impact was so forceful, so shocking, that the air was expelled from their lungs. Tony's right hand was violently wrenched away from Ziva, leaving deep fingernail cuts from the force of the extraction. Tony could only manage occasional grunts as the glass from the car window exploded and his vehicle spun wildly in brain-jostling, nauseating circles._

_The crunch of squealing wheels, and crunching glass and metal was deafening. Tony had no hope of controlling the car, as he and Ziva were tossed to and fro by the centrifugal force of the spinning._

_Finally, suddenly, the car came to a standstill. The trunk had flown open, the front and passenger side of the car demolished and smoking, the car horn blaring._

Tony fought to remain conscious, his body screaming in pain. His only concern was for Ziva, who took the brunt of the collision. _Reaching his bloodied hand for hers, he brushed her fingers before the darkness overtook him._

The driver of the Jeep Grand Cherokee slowly got out the car. He was fully trained in such collisions, knowing how to enforce the maximum damage to his target without irreparable harm to himself and his vehicle.

He walked to the car, sure steady steps. He watched the car briefly to make sure there was no smell of gasoline, of any risk of explosion. Detecting none, he went to the passenger side, where the window was blown out.

He looked at Tony, his head down, his face bloody from a nasty cut to by the side his nose. His arm was bent in an unnatural position, indicating the internal damage the accident had wrought. The front of his shirt was smeared with blood but it was not evident where it came from. He had strange cuts on the top of his right hand that defied logic.

Ziva was sitting upright, still. Her head was lolled sideways, unconscious. Her right arm was bloody, cut by flying glass. Looking down, the driver saw what he was looking for. Carefully reaching in to avoid the broken glass, he took the black velvet bag that had miraculously remained in Ziva's hand.

Stepping back, he took one last look at the injured occupants.

"I am so sorry Ziva." Malachi whispered. He whipped his head up as the sound of sirens became audible in the distance. He ran to his SUV, still drivable, and fled the scene.

**NCIS**

Gibbs checked his watch again. "Where in the Hell are Tony and Ziva. They landed over two hours ago!"

Tim quickly looked up from his computer. "Let me check the tracking software. That will tell us where they are."

Tim opened up the software and typed some keys. "Got 'em!" Tim looked at the map. "They are on Independence Avenue, not too far from here." Tim frowned. "There aren't moving, Boss. I know the red lights can be long there but…hang on, I see some movement." Now Tim looked really confused and frankly concerned.

"Uh, Boss. They are both on the move again, but they are not together."

Gibbs started at that. "What do you mean they aren't together, McGee?"

Tim looked up. "They are in two different vehicles." He looked again. "Moving very fast, in the same direction."

Gibbs looked stunned. "McGee, can you hack into the camera system? I know there are red light cameras around there, maybe Homeland has surveillance cameras as well, considering its close proximity to Capitol Hill."

"On it, Boss." McGee's fingers flew over the keyboard, sweat starting to form on his brow.

"Oh…got something, Boss." Tim was pale.

Gibbs saw the change in his demeanor. "Put it up on the plasma, McGee."

McGee complied and stood with him in front of the scene. Fire trucks and police cars were all over the place. They could barely see a wrecked vehicle in the midst of the chaos.

"McGee, can you rewind so we can see what happened?" Gibbs' gut was screaming at him, and he felt like he was going to vomit.

McGee wiped his forehead with his arm. "They don't work like that, Boss. Maybe by changing the parameters, I can access prior views…"

"That's what I said, McGee. Rewind it, now!"

"Rewinding, Boss." McGee bent over this computer, typing as rapidly as he could.

He went over and stood by Gibbs again, as the images flew by in reverse. Gibbs watched anxiously as he realized that was Tony's car at the scene. "Stop! There, McGee. Play it from there." Gibbs had stopped McGee to before the accident.

They watched with their hearts in their mouths as Tony's car started to cross the intersection. They could see the SUV barreling toward them, the lights coming on seconds before the impact.

"Oh, my God!" Tim was terrified by what he was witnessing. This was not a little fender bender. This was a major accident. He felt weak, his knees ready to buckle.

Gibbs' face lost its color, knowing he may have seen his Agents killed right before his eyes.

He came to life. "Find out where they were taken, McGee. Then get to the scene and get photos. NOW!"

They both ran to the elevator, Tim anxiously calling Metro PD to get specifics.

_**That's the best I could do. Hope it makes sense. I will try to update again before "Revenge" since I didn't have time to put that in this chapter. Thanks again for the great support.**_


	53. Chapter 53

_**They watched with their hearts in their mouths as Tony's car started to cross the intersection. They could see the SUV barreling toward them, the lights coming on seconds before the impact.**_

"_**Oh, my God!" Tim was terrified by what he was witnessing. This was not a little fender bender. This was a major accident. He felt weak, his knees ready to buckle.**_

_**Gibbs' face lost its color, knowing he may have seen his Agents killed right before his eyes.**_

_**He came to life. "Find out where they were taken, McGee. Then get to the scene and get photos. NOW!"**_

_**They both ran to the elevator, Tim anxiously calling Metro PD to get specifics.**_

Vignette Eleven: Part Twenty-Two

Tim pulled up to the scene of the accident. He immediately flashed his badge, gaining access. A cop came up to him. "Special Agent McGee?"

Tim was staring at Tony's car. Tony's beautiful car; his pride and joy. He took in the glass and metal lying all over the road.

"Special Agent McGee?" Tim startled and looked at the DC officer.

"What? Yes, sorry. No trace of the other vehicle?" Tim knew it had sped off, but he didn't want Metro to know they had already witnessed the accident.

The cop shook his head. "Looks like it had some damage, but obviously it was able to be driven."

Tim nodded. They had seen the driver get out of the car and approach Tony and Ziva. Tim was sure he was going to see his friends be blown away, but instead their assailant got something from the car. The angle of the camera didn't allow them to see the man's face, but they could tell it was a male.

Tim stared again at the car and hesitantly stepped toward it, reminded of when Tony's car had been blown up. Poor Tony. This was the third car of his to be demolished. He took pictures on all sides using his iPhone, since he was not there in any official capacity, capturing every square inch. Finally, taking a deep breath, he peered inside.

The amount of blood took his breath away, and brought tears to his eyes. Not for the first time was he afraid that Tony and Ziva might be dead. They were certainly severely injured.

He swallowed the bile rising in his throat and began snapping shots of the interior. Something caught his eye, a flash of light on the floor of the passenger side. Frowning, McGee reached down and picked up the object, using his handkerchief to prevent contamination.

"What the Hell?" McGee held up the two-carat diamond, refracting light from the street lamp.

Shaking his head, he carefully folded the diamond into the cotton and placed it in his pocket. He then went to the trunk and removed Tony and Ziva's luggage. He also checked the backseat. He wondered briefly why they didn't take the time to take the luggage up to Tony's apartment rather than take it with them, but then he decided that they would rather get to NCIS and Gibbs as quick as they could.

Deciding he was as done as he could be, he thanked the cops and headed back to his car. Flipping open his phone, he punched in Gibbs' number.

**Walter Reed National Medical Center**

Gibbs stood in the waiting room of the Emergency Center, in almost the same place he stood four months ago. His mouth was dry and his eyes were bloodshot. They wouldn't tell him anything yet; only that Tony and Ziva had been brought in.

He considered just barging into the treatment area, but then he thought better of it. The medical team needed to be working on Tony and Ziva and didn't need him as a distraction. His phone rang, thankfully interrupting his negative thoughts.

"Yeah, McGee. Watcha' got?" He looked around.

"Boss, I'm heading to you now. I've got photos and looked around the scene. I also found something, but I don't know what it means." McGee took a deep breath.

"Have you heard anything yet?" Tim wasn't sure how he wanted Gibbs to answer that question.

"Nothing yet, McGee. Ducky's on his way here with Abby. Vance is also on his way." Gibbs ended the call and rubbed his eyes. He was getting too old for this shit. Guns, bombs…yeah that was expected. But a damn car accident?

Gibbs wondered briefly if he should call Tony's father, but decided he better wait until he had some news to share. Just then Vance came rushing in.

"How are they?" Vance looked pale and anxious. He glanced around, not wanting to be reminded of the last time he was here. He looked closely at Gibbs. "You're thinking of Shannon and Kelly, aren't you?"

Gibbs pressed his lips together and looked away but didn't answer. Vance put his hand on Gibbs' arm. "We'll find who did this, Gibbs."

Gibbs looked at Leon. "Hell yeah, we will, Leon."

Ducky and Abby arrived just then, both of them tense and drawn. As soon as Abby saw Gibbs, she rushed to him and threw her arms around him.

"Tell me they're ok, Gibbs. Tell me they're ok…" Her face was pinched and streaked with tears. She couldn't believe this had happened, not to Tony and Ziva. They had no much to live for, it just wasn't fair.

Gibbs' rubbed her back soothingly and kissed her temple. "I haven't heard anything yet, Abbs. But I'm sure they'll be fine.

Abby shook her head. "You can't say that, Gibbs. I saw the car. They were creamed. No one could walk away from that, no one…" She sobbed again and hid her face in his shoulder.

"I didn't say they walked away. I said they will be fine. And you're right, I don't know for sure but I'm going to believe it. It's the only way I can think right now."

Abby pulled back and looked at Gibbs, understanding dawning in her eyes. "Oh, Gibbs." She whispered, hugging him again.

"Duck." He indicated Ducky should take Abby and settle her down. Ducky had been listening to the exchange. He couldn't fault Gibbs for trying to be positive for Abby. But he had seen the damage done to frail, soft human bodies by tons of steel and a high speed. It certainly didn't bode well for Tony and Ziva.

Ten minutes later, McGee showed. "Any news?" He asked anxiously. He looked around and saw Abby being consoled by Ducky and Vance pacing.

"Nothing yet, Tim. What did you find?"

McGee brought out his iPhone and handed it to Gibbs, with the photos already open and viewable. Gibbs' stomach tightened as he saw the interior of the car, the amount of blood. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Nothing on the driver?"

McGee shook his head. "So far, the local LEO's have nothing. When I get back, Abby and I will go over every square inch of the crash footage, to see if we can identify anything.

Gibbs grunted. He was sure the SUV had dummy plates just like the one that had been watching the NCIS agents that had been sent to that hotel in Baltimore…

"McGee, can you least figure out if this was the same SUV from Baltimore?"

McGee's eyes got large at that. "But Boss; that would mean that Mossad…"

"I know, McGee. I know." Gibbs didn't like it either. Orlie Elbaz had seemed quite sincere in her desire to kill Bodnar. It didn't make sense for her to be behind this crash. And as far as he knew, that Israeli faction left from Delaware early yesterday.

"Agent Gibbs?" A doctor stood at the sliding doors leading into the treatment area.

Gibbs nodded and walked as fast as he could toward the man. "How are my Agents?"

The doctor looked serious. "In here, please." The doctor indicated that Gibbs should follow him into a small conference room. Gibbs heart sank at that. They only took people into these rooms to tell them that their family member was dead.

Vance had come up as soon as he had seen the doctor. He sensed Gibbs' dread, feeling it himself. Putting a hand on Gibbs' back, he helped to guide him to follow the doctor. Tim went over to sit with Abby and Ducky, taking her hand.

"Have a seat." The doctor said.

"I would prefer to stand." Gibbs said.

"I would prefer you didn't. Please, I have a lot to share with you and would like to sit. If you stand, I will have to. Please." His hand was outstretched toward a chair.

Gibbs sighed and sat heavily. "I've seen a video of the car crash. I know it's bad. You can skip the preliminaries and just tell me how serious it is." Gibbs interjected before the doctor could even speak.

Vance looked sharply at Gibbs. He hadn't told him he had seen the whole crash, just that they had located Tony and Ziva using Homeland's cameras.

"Ok, fair enough. I will start with Agent David. The SUV impacted her side of the car. She is lucky in that she did not receive a direct hit, as the car hit more toward the front of the car. I would say she was not aware of the impending collision, or did not have any time to react."

"Why do you say that?" Vance asked, curious.

"From her injuries. When a person knows they are about to be hit, they subconsciously tense and brace themselves. Her body was more relaxed. That's not to say she was not injured, because she was. She has a concussion and a severe head laceration that required stitches. She also has a dislocated shoulder, broken ribs and another severe laceration on her right hand and forearm. She has not regained consciousness at this time, but her pupils are equal and reactive. Still, we are sending her to CT to rule out a fracture and brain injury. We are also ruling out a severe neck injury; I expect at least a whiplash."

Vance frowned. "And at worst?"

The Doctor sighed. "With this type of collision and the body literally being thrown about inside the car, it is not unusual for there to be some kind of internal derangement to the cervical area."

Gibbs' eyes opened wide at that. "English, Doc. Please."

The Doctor nodded grimly. "Yes, sorry. At worst a cervical fracture with spinal cord involvement. But having said that, I don't believe that is what we'll find in Agent David's case. She has all of her reflexes and she is responding to painful stimuli."

Gibbs felt himself sag into the chair. _"A broken neck?"_ He had never considered anything like that. All he thought was they were hurt badly or they weren't, not the specifics.

Gibbs let out his breath. "So, she's alive?"

The doctor smiled. He knew from experience that most family blocked out most of what he had to say and only focused on one of two things: dead or alive.

"Yes, she's alive. And I don't anticipate any complications from her injuries and she should heal nicely, assuming of'course the scans all return negative." The doctor frowned again.

"I understand from the Paramedics that Agent DiNozzo's car was not equipped with air bags, or they did not deploy. Airbags certainly could have lessened the injuries."

Gibbs wasn't sure if he was being lectured or not, but he felt compelled to speak on Tony's behalf.

"Tony has a vintage Mustang that was restored. I have a Charger and mine doesn't have airbags either, I guess. Frankly, I never thought about it."

"I guess you will, now." The Doctor said sympathetically.

Vance nodded and sighed. He wasn't sure what he would do if Agent David had been killed. They were bound by the recent events, a tie that would remain for the rest of their days. He just didn't expect those days to be short.

"And Tony?" Gibbs asked. The doctor stopped smiling.

"I believe Agent DiNozzo _did_ know that the crash was coming. He is severely injured." He let that sink in before he continued to inform them of his injuries.

"By the nature of his injuries, he was facing Agent David; perhaps they were talking since I believe she was facing him. He may have seen the car. It would seem that he tried to shield Agent David from the crash. He was hit by a lot of the glass. We have already ruled out a neck injury beyond whiplash and soft tissue damage, but he does have a stable fracture at the T-12 level that will not require surgery."

Gibbs felt tears prick his eyes at that. "His back is broken?" He could envision Tony in a wheelchair, Tony no longer in the field…

The Doctor took a sip of water. "That is such an archaic term, and it used to refer to a spinal injury with paralysis, so in that sense; no, he does not have a broken back. He also has a concussion, his left arm is broken and he also has multiple rib fractures. He was having trouble breathing when he arrived on sight, so we intubated him to give him oxygen support." The Doctor glanced down at his notes. "From his medical records I see that he had the pneumonic plague in 2005." He looked up.

Gibbs frowned. "Yeah, he almost died. But he didn't. Is this important?" Gibbs didn't understand why the doctor brought it up.

The Doctor nodded. "It could seriously impact his recovery. His lungs are already in, well I don't know if I want to say bad shape, but they aren't perfectly healthy. Compound that with a chest injury and he is at risk for complications. He has a history of concussions. There is only so much trauma that the human brain can handle. He also has a very nasty gash on his face that will require the services of a Plastic Surgeon."

Gibbs sat quietly. "Is he going to make it?" He managed to get out.

Vance sat up, rigid. His dread had increased as the doctor continued to recite the litany of injuries Tony had sustained.

The doctor looked at the two men. "I'm not going to sugar coat this. Agent DiNozzo is in very serious condition. The next twenty-fours will be critical. If he remains stable, or hopefully improves, then I can offer you a more favorable outcome. Of immediate concern is his pulmonary status. Having said that, we are treating his injuries and medical status aggressively and I anticipate a good outcome. But I can't make any promises."

Gibbs put his head in his hands. He finally looked up. "Can I see them?" The Doctor looked hesitant, but then changed his mind.

"Yes, of'course, come with me." Gibbs followed the doctor, with Vance trailing behind him. The doctor pulled back the curtain. One of the nurses looked up and smiled.

"This is Agent Gibbs and Director Vance. Let them spend a few minutes with Agent DiNozzo, and then they can see Agent David."

"Sure thing, John." The Nurse replied. Gibbs walked stiff legged to the side to the stretcher, taking in the still, pale form that was Anthony DiNozzo. "Aw geez, Tony." Gibbs murmured.

Tony looked at lot worse than he had imagined. Of'course he didn't have the experience of seeing himself in similar circumstances all those years ago, so in reality, Tony actually looked somewhat better.

Gibbs grimaced at the large bandage on Tony's face, thinking how the cut would mar his features. Then he remembered the doctor mentioned a Plastic Surgeon. That made him grin slightly, knowing at least Tony's looks would be preserved.

"He looks bad, Leon." Gibbs said quietly.

"He's a fighter, Gibbs. He'll live." Vance tried to sound as convincing as he could.

Gibbs nodded. He didn't know how he was going to tell the team. He leaned over and spoke into Tony's ear.

"DiNozzo, I want you to listen to me. You are going to live. You are going to be fine, do you hear me? You have a lot of people waiting for you, including a crazy Israeli who for some reason loves you. Ziva's waiting for you Tony. Don't you dare disappoint her."

Tony's heart rate picked up a bit for a few beats then settled back down to its slow rhythm. Gibbs touched Tony's hand and squeezed it. He was positive that Tony squeezed it back, but he may have imagined it. He looked curiously at his right hand.

"What kind of cuts are these? It almost looks like a bite mark." Gibbs looked at the Nurse in utter confusion.

She smiled and walked over to Tony's right side. Silently, she slid her hand underneath Tony's and closed her fingers through his. Gibbs' eyes widened, seeing her finger tips, _and fingernails_, in the exact same position as the cuts on Tony's hand.

"They were holding hands at the time of the crash." She said simply.

Gibbs digested that, wanting to head slap Tony for driving with one hand and being distracted by holding Ziva's. But he knew that was not what caused the accident. That explained the Doctor saying he thought they were looking at each other.

Gibbs straightened up. "Ok, can I see Ziva now?" The Nurse smiled and nodded.

"Over here." She opened up the other curtain. Ziva had been on the other side. Gibbs traced the cut on her head with his finger, following it from the edge of her scalp down behind her ear. Her eyes were blackened and swollen, and there was a bruise on her cheek. The oxygen mask hid most of her face, but Gibbs could see that it appeared to be free from severe cuts.

He looked at the monitors, and the IV's. Repeating what he did with Tony, he spoke quietly to her, trying to soothe her and to maybe get her to wake up. Much to his surprise, she started to open her eyes.

"That's it, Ziva. Come on, wake up!" Gibbs growled. Ziva's eyes flew open and she gasped. She tried to sit upright but the pain in her ribs was so excruciating she couldn't move.

"TONY!" She gasped. Her eyes were wild, looking around in confusion. Gibbs grabbed her face, trying to get her to focus.

"Ziva! ZIVA! Look at me! Focus-on-me!" Gibbs commanded.

Ziva heard his voice and found his face. She looked at his mouth watching him speak.

"Breathe slowly, take your time. I got you, Ziva. I got you." Gibbs murmured, stroking her cheek.

Ziva's body relaxed, her brain processing what Gibbs was saying to her.

She glanced around, taking in her surroundings. She turned fearful eyes toward Gibbs. "Tony?" She whispered.

Gibbs took a deep breath. "He's hurt, Ziva. Just like you are. We saw the footage of the accident. We know it was intentional."

Ziva looked at Gibbs in horror and shock. "We were in an accident?"

Gibbs looked at Vance. "You don't remember what happened, Agent David?"

"I remember we were driving to the Navy Yard, and we were talking. Then there was this bright light and Tony yelled out. That's…that is all."

Vance shifted on his feet. "It's probably a good thing you don't remember, Agent David." Ziva looked upset at that.

"How bad is Tony hurt?" Her voice broke.

"Broken bones, concussion, cuts. The main problem is his lungs." Gibbs wasn't sure how much he should say.

"His lungs?" Ziva was confused.

"From the plague, Ziva. It's causing problems." Gibbs spoke softly.

Ziva started, and then wince as the unnecessary movement caused pain. Tears formed in her eyes, tracing uneven paths down her cheeks. "I want to see him."

Gibbs cocked his head. "You can't, Ziva. Not right now. I've seen him and I've told him to get better."

Ziva brightened at that. "He is awake then?"

Gibbs bit his lip. Damn, he should have never said anything. "No, Ziva. He's not. But I still told him."

Ziva closed her eyes. Suddenly they flew open. "The diamonds!"

Gibbs and Vance looked at each other, confused. "Diamonds? McGee found one, Ziva. What does it mean?"

Ziva was agitated. The Nurse came back and was ready to kick them out. "No! I must tell them before it is too late." She looked desperately at Gibbs.

"Ilan emptied all of his bank accounts and converted the cash into diamonds."

Vance looked alert at that. "How do you know that, Agent David?"

Ziva looked at him. "My friend Monique. She took them from Bodnar, and then gave them to us as we were leaving Reckhan. Did I have them? Are they in the car?"

Gibbs rubbed the back of his neck. He used his finger to bring the nurse over. "Where are Ziva's personal effects?"

The nurse went to the chair and lifted a large plastic bag. Gibbs grabbed it and went through the clothes. Ziva felt nauseous when she saw the bloody remnants of her jacket, top and pants. Gibbs came up empty. "What were they in, Ziva?"

"A black velvet drawstring bag, Gibbs." Ziva answered, her eyes getting heavy.

Gibbs looked at the Nurse. "Do you know if a black velvet bag came in with Ziva?" She looked surprised.

"I never saw one. I can ask the paramedics when I see them again."

"Yeah, ok, thanks." Gibbs turned to Ziva.

"I think that's why you were hit. Someone took something from the car, but we couldn't make out who it was." Gibbs eyed Ziva closely, knowing this was a low blow for her, on top of everything else.

"No…"Ziva closed her eyes. "Now he can disappear. He's won."

"Nope, no one's won yet, Ziver." Gibbs grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"I want to see Tony. I need to…" Ziva looked at Gibbs in quiet desperation.

"Not right now, Ziva. Let the doctors fix him up, and then you can see him." Ziva closed her eyes in submission, not having the strength to fight. Gibbs kissed her temple.

"I love you, kid. You're going to be ok, Ziver." Gibbs whispered in her ear.

Ziva smiled at the reminder of being one of his "kids". She was so worried about Tony, but her brain would not let her focus. She was so tired, and she just wanted to sleep…

"Ok, I think that's all for now." The Nurse said gently.

Gibbs nodded and turned to leave. He took one last look at his Agents and then step back out in the waiting area.

He saw the others waiting quietly for him to approach, the tension palpable. Standing stoic, he revealed what the Doctor had told him and what he saw.

**Walter Reed- the next day**

Much to the relief of his Doctors, Tony had continued to improve through the night. They were able to extubate him and began using a mask with humidified oxygen for pulmonary support. Around seven a.m. he started coming around.

At first he was very lethargic and the medical staff was concerned, even though the brain scans had all come back negative for a bleed or swelling. Finally, he started to focus and become aware.

Just as Ziva had done, it was as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown on him. "ZIVA!" He cried out hoarsely, grimacing in pain as his back, chest and lungs felt like they were on fire.

The Nurse had to hold him down and was getting ready to sedate him, but he calmed down. He looked at the Nurse with pleading eyes.

"Please tell me Ziva is ok." The tears in his eyes were heart wrenching. If she didn't already know these two were probably in a relationship, she certainly did now.

"She will be ok. She was injured, but she will be ok." She said soothingly.

"I need to see her! Please let me see her…"

The Nurse shook her head. "You aren't going anywhere, Agent DiNozzo. You have a fractured vertebra and several cracked ribs that are going to keep you in bed for a few days."

"_Fractured vertebrae?"_ Tony wiggled his fingers and toes experimentally and blew out a breath of relief that he had full motion and feeling.

His hand flew to his face, as he could feel the tightness and bulkiness of the dressing. "Do you have a mirror?" Tony wasn't sure he really wanted to see what damage was done, but he had to know.

The Nurse considered the question, and nodded. She slid open the over bed table and flip up a compartment. Attached was a mirror, for patients to use was they shaved or brushed their hair.

Tony looked at his damaged face critically, taking in the large blood stained bandaged across his right cheek and nose.

"That's going to leave a scar." He said unnecessarily.

The Nurse smiled. "We have a Plastic Surgeon following you. He stitched the laceration with very fine sutures. Any scarring should be minimal."

Tony looked again at the bandage, remembering when he and McGee were assigned to guard the Belgravian Defense Minister's daughter and they had crashed into a fire hydrant. The resulting impact gave a nice cut to Tony's forehead. He had made the same remark about a scar then and Ziva had stated it would give him character.

He smiled. He knew no matter what, Ziva would not mind. He was the one who was bothered by the lessening of his self-proclaimed good looks.

He closed the tray, and took stock of his injuries. The cast on his left arm, other bandages, his right hand…

He looked curiously at the cuts, understanding at once what had caused them. He looked away, concern flooding his features. He turned back to the Nurse. "I really do need to see Ziva."

She sighed. "I'll see what I can do."

Ziva had slept through the night, mostly with the help of medication. She woke up around eight a.m., not really surprised to see Gibbs sitting at her bedside.

"Have you been here the whole time?" She asked softly, surprise in her voice.

"Most of it." He answered tiredly. "They let the others come in a get a peek at you before we were all kicked out. I refused to leave."

Ziva could well imagine that he did. "McGee and Abby have looked at the footage of the car, analyzing it frame by frame. You were hit by a Jeep Grand Cherokee, bogus plates. It was not the same car that watched our Agents as they were tracking down information on Mantel."

Ziva digested that. "So you do not think Mossad is behind this. I do not either. It is Ilan. I know it."

"You think he's here, then?" Gibbs asked, searching her eyes.

"It is possible. He had over twenty four hours ahead of us to get here. I doubt he was driving the SUV, though. He would not risk injury to himself."

She looked at Gibbs. "Did you review the video he left for me?"

Gibbs nodded, his lips pressed together. "Do you know what he means, Ziver? Is he trying to confuse the issue, or is he really saying he's not the only one responsible?"

Ziva closed her eyes, and then looked away. "I am not sure now. I know he paid to have my father killed, that he arranged it. And I know he has help. But who is helping him exactly? Certainly others from Mossad."

"The only one they have identified as rogue is Mantel." Gibbs said. "So if there is another Mossad Officer in league with Bodnar, they don't know about it."

Gibbs rubbed his neck. "Tony's awake, Ziver."

Her eyes flew to him. "Why did you delay telling me this? I must see him now!" She struggled to sit up.

He held her down. "I waited because I needed to talk to you first as an Agent. I needed your input and I didn't want you distracted by your concern for DiNozzo."

Ziva bit her lip, acknowledging that was a legitimate excuse. But now that she knew, nothing else held her thoughts.

"How is he? Is he in much pain?" Ziva was scared, not really knowing the full extent of his injuries.

"Demanding to see you." Gibbs smiled in exasperation. "Worried about you, what else?"

Ziva smiled softly at that. "Please let me see him, Gibbs."

Her plea broke his heart. "Hey, it's not up to me. But I will ask. Be right back."

Gibbs went to her Nurse and asked if it would be possible for her to see Tony. After discussing it with the doctors, they agreed she could be put in a wheelchair and taken to his room.

Ziva was lightheaded as she was sat up on the side of the bed. Painfully, she was able to transfer to the wheelchair. The Nurse wheeled her to the next room from hers.

Ziva gasped when she saw Tony, taking in the neck brace, the huge bandage across his face and the cast on his left arm. He turned his head when he heard her voice.

"Oh, my God Ziva!" The Nurse pushed her up to his bedside and lowered the railing so they could get as close as possible.

Ziva grabbed his hand and kissed it, seeing the marks her fingernails had made. "I am so sorry…"

"Hey, it's nothing. The 'Mark of Ziva', you know, like the 'Mark of Zorro'. I've been branded." Tony grinned.

Ziva shook her head, although she was slightly amused by his movie reference. That showed her that he was somewhat himself.

"No, I meant for this." She looked around. "This is all my fault."

Tony frowned. "How is this your fault?"

"For including you in this quest of mine. If you had not been with me, you would not have been injured."

"Well, in that case; _I_ was the one driving. I should have paid better attention. I should have been able to veer out of the path of the other vehicle. If anyone is to blame, it's me Ziva." Tony looked distressed.

Ziva stroked his cheek. "I cannot bear to lose you, Tony. I have lost so much. Everyone I have ever loved, or been close to has died. I cannot take that risk with you."

Tony frowned. "What are you saying?"

Ziva sighed and looked down. "I do not know. This changes everything. They have now tried to kill you. I cannot let that pass, Tony. I will seek Bodnar, and make him pay."

Tony grabbed her hand and held it tightly. "You do what you need to do, Ziva but promise me you will do it with Gibbs and McGee. Do not go rogue and take this on by yourself. The risks are too great."

"And you are not quitting 'us', I won't allow it. We've come so far, I'm not letting this be another damn obstacle that stops what we have and where we are going. I won't."

The unshed tears in Ziva's eyes fell unchecked. She loved this man so much, but she truly believed that she must be cursed and that to be with her was tantamount to a death sentence. She laid her head down on his bed, allowing him to stroke her hair. She listened as he murmured soft endearments and encouragement to her, knowing it wouldn't last.

_**I don't think they will bring up Tony's plague days, although it has been brought up since. I do think Tony is the more seriously injured of the two, but we will see. I will post again tomorrow or Tuesday my take of the rest of "Revenge" before it airs. I don't want these chapters to be too long. Thanks for staying with me and encouraging me to continue**_.


	54. Chapter 54

_**Ziva sighed and looked down. "I do not know. This changes everything. They have now tried to kill you. I cannot let that pass, Tony. I will seek Bodnar, and make him pay."**_

_**Tony grabbed her hand and held it tightly. "You do what you need to do, Ziva but promise me you will do it with Gibbs and McGee. Do not go rogue and take this on by yourself. The risks are too great."**_

"_**And you are not quitting 'us', I won't allow it. We've come so far, I'm not letting this be another damn obstacle that stops what we have and where we are going. I won't."**_

_**The unshed tears in Ziva's eyes fell unchecked. She loved this man so much, but she truly believed that she must be cursed and that to be with her was tantamount to a death sentence. She laid her head down on his bed, allowing him to stroke her hair. She listened as he murmured soft endearments and encouragement to her, knowing it wouldn't last.**_

Vignette Eleven: Part Twenty-Three

**Bodnar Safe House- Northern Virginia**

"Very good, Malachi." Bodnar smiled as he spread out the diamonds on the table. He picked up a few to check the clarity. Grabbing one, he tossed it to Malachi.

"For your efforts." He said condescendingly. Malachi looked at the diamond. A reward, he was being given a reward for possibly killing Ziva! Although his order was to only retrieve the diamonds, he couldn't help but wonder if Bodnar hoped the effort had ended in their deaths.

"You have called too much attention to yourself, Ilan. What if Ziva told Gibbs about the diamonds? They will know they are missing. They will know it was not an accident."

Bodnar closed the drawstring. "Of'course they will know it was not an accident, Malachi. Agent Gibbs is arrogant but he is not stupid."

"You do not understand the relationship these people have with Ziva. You have added fuel to the fire. They will hunt you down." Malachi was extremely unhappy with this latest turn of events.

He had witnessed and been subject to enough of Eli David's machinations that he felt no betrayal in backing Bodnar. He would not have advocated his death, but there it was.

Now they were back in the U.S., in the maelstrom. "Hiding in plain sight." Bodnar spoke as if he could read Malachi's thoughts.

"What?" Malachi jerked in surprise.

"I said they will never think to look for me here. They are convinced I am in Europe. I will disappear and no one will ever find me."

**NCIS**

The team had been working tirelessly, trying to find the missing link with the SUV. Abby called them down to her lab, excited but clearly unhappy.

"I finally got the Dulles Airport security footage from the past 48 hours." She was not smiling.

"Did you find something, Abbs?" Gibbs strolled in front of the big plasma.

"I think so. Here, look at this." She advanced the footage, frame by frame until she got to the one she wanted. "Right there. The two men leaving together. I don't have great angles, but tell me that isn't Bodnar."

Gibbs squinted his eyes, knowing it wouldn't help. "Can you enhance this at all, Abby?" Abby typed rapidly and the image came up larger but not necessarily in better focus.

"It's a pretty good likeness. What do you have on the passenger manifests for flights landing around this time?"

McGee spoke up. "Three flights arrived between three-thirty and six p.m. four days ago, the same day we got back, and the day before Tony and Ziva arrived." Tim pulled up a seating chart.

"There was only one flight where two men were seated next to each other ticketed at the same time."

"From where?" Gibbs asked.

"Berlin." Tim looked ashen. "Of'course, they didn't have to sit next to each other, but I thought that was the best place to start."

"Names?" Gibbs persisted.

Tim looked unhappy. "Anthony and David Elbaz."

Gibbs did a double-take at that. "Son of a Bitch! It's him." Gibbs growled. "Abby see if you can get a better image of the second guy."

"Sure thing, Gibbs." Abby typed some more and brought up the second image.

Tim's mouth opened in shock. "Uh, Boss, isn't that…"

"Yeah. Malachi Ben-Gidon. He played them. All this time, he was on Bodnar's side."

Abby looked crushed. "Do you think he was the one who ran into Tony and Ziva?"

Gibbs looked at McGee and Abby, standing close to one another, shoulders touching.

His ringing phone disrupted whatever he was about to say. "Yeah, Leon. I'll be right up."

Gibbs strode out of the lab, but then turned. "None of this gets to Tony and Ziva, understand? They have enough on their plates right now."

"Got it, Boss." Tim answered for both of them. He and Abby exchanged anxious looks, knowing this was going to devastate Ziva.

**Vance's Office**

Vance looked at the family photo, rubbing his finger absently on the image of his wife. He sighed deeply, knowing they had failed to bring in his wife's killer. And this latest news was just more salt in the wound. He glanced up as Gibbs came in. "I just got off the phone with Orlie Elbaz. They just apprehended Ilan Bodnar's brother, Yaniv."

Gibbs looked surprised. "His brother? Where does he fit into all of this."

Vance looked pissed. "Apparently he was the one draining Bodnar's accounts and converting the cash into diamonds. He got the diamonds to Bodnar, so he could take off and disappear into the mist. That's who everyone has been chasing while Bodnar sat on his ass."

"He's here, Leon." Gibbs said quietly.

Vance bolted upright, as if sprung from his chair. "Has this been confirmed? What is your source?"

Gibbs cocked his head. "Video feed out of Dulles shows Bodnar and Malachi Ben-Gidon leaving the International Flights area around six p.m. four days ago."

"Ben-Gidon? Wasn't he helping DiNozzo and David?"

"Helping them not find Bodnar. He's been with him all along. Mossad did not know he had turned. He was sent to Bodnar's camp as their spy, not his."

"The old double-cross, hmm." Vance started pacing. "Are you suggesting Ben-Gidon was responsible for the car crash?"

Gibbs sighed. "The diamonds are missing, Leon. If it wasn't him, then Bodnar has at least one other person here helping him. Is Mossad able to get anything from this brother on Bodnar's possible whereabouts?"

"They're still working on it." Vance said, his mouth a thin line of disapproval. Just then his intercom crackled to life.

"Excuse me, Director. Chief Morrow is here to see you."

Gibbs eyes widened. "Does he have your office bugged? He always knows when we get something new."

"That's not a pleasant thought." Vance pressed a button. "Send him in please, Cynthia."

Vance stood and walked over by Gibbs and Tom Morrow entered the office.

"Tom, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Vance was courteous, but in Director mode.

Morrow hitched his eyebrows up. "How are your Agents doing, Leon, Gibbs?"

Gibbs rubbed his neck. "Agent David may be discharged tomorrow. Agent DiNozzo will remain for a least a few more days."

"I see. Then they are permanently off the hunt for Bodnar I would assume?" It really wasn't a question.

"Well, I guess that depends on what happens between now and when they are able to return to the field, Tom. I'm not going to purposely keep them out of this. If anything, David and DiNozzo are _more _invested in finding him."

"Understandable, Leon. But need I remind you that NCIS still has no jurisdiction in this matter. Yes, Agent Gibbs, I understand that there is a good possibility that he may have been responsible for the accident that occurred with your Agents, but that is not enough to give you the file. This will be handled by Homeland and the CIA."

"It's not just a possibility, Sir. Bodnar _is_ here. He arrived the day before Tony and Ziva did. He came here with another Mossad Agent, Malachi Ben-Gidon. I have no doubt they are behind the accident."

Tom Morrow looked stunned at the turn of event. "You know this for certain? Do you know where he is?"

"Yes and no. Mossad has captured his brother and is interrogating him as we speak. Hopefully we will have a location soon." Vance spoke.

Morrow paced his former office, forming his thoughts. "I need to be very clear here, Leon. This can no way turn into a personal vendetta for your team. NCIS is to back down and sit this one out. I can't emphasize enough how important this is."

"Why? Sir?" Gibbs asked. "Why is it so important that NCIS be left out? I don't understand the reasoning behind this."

Morrow turned to him. "You don't need to understand, Gibbs. You need to follow direct orders. I am giving you a direct order."

"I no longer take orders from you, Chief Morrow. Who are you protecting?" Gibbs asked, unsettled.

Vance looked up at that. "Yes, Tom. Who are you protecting? Bodnar? Or the CIA? Are they somehow mixed up in this whole mess?"

Morrow was silent. When he finally spoke, it was with finality. "For your own sakes, you will step aside and leave this investigation."

Vance frowned. This was the second time Morrow had resorted to veiled comments of repercussions against him or his team should they continue on their present course. It sounded and smelled too much like a threat and he didn't like it one bit.

"Are you threatening me, Tom?" Vance had fire in his eyes.

"Me? No. I am trying to warn you, Leon. Stay out of this."

"Who's threatening Vance and my team?" Gibbs asked.

Morrow turned to leave. "I've said more than I should. Just heed my words and listen to my advice. Good day, gentlemen."

Vance and Gibbs stood in shock as he suddenly left the room. "What in the hell?" Vance began.

He turned to Gibbs. "As of right now, we are actively investigating DiNozzo and David's accident. If that leads us to Bodnar…"

Gibbs smiled. "Oh, yeah. We'll let them know."

**Tony's Apartment**

Gibbs had reluctantly allowed Ziva to stay by herself after being discharged from the hospital. He wouldn't let her return to her own apartment and his strong attempt to have her stay with him fell on deaf ears.

"Ziva, your accident may have been about more than just the diamonds. Bodnar may still come after you." Gibbs reasoned.

Ziva shook her head. "Then whoever it was that hit us would have done a double tap to my head while I was unconscious in the car. No, I am fine, Gibbs."

Gibbs was exasperated with her, but he felt better about her being at Tony's than her place.

She wandered around the small apartment, touching Tony's things, her fingers lingering over the piano keys. She had seen him right before she left the hospital. He looked better and was getting out of bed, but still had a ways to go before he could come home.

"Please bring me some pizza, Boss. This hospital food is killing me!" Tony insisted, looking so pitiful he and Ziva both laughed at him.

"I will make you many delicious dishes when you come home, Tony." Ziva promised him, and then wish she hadn't. She didn't want to give him hope for their future. Until Bodnar was gone, until he paid for what he did to her father and to Tony, she could think of nothing else. Her life was on permanent hold.

Ziva went to Tony's closet and she pulled out an old OSU jersey. She smelled the worn fabric deeply, drinking in his fragrance that still lingered. Lying down on his bed, she held the jersey close to her, hugging it, caressing it. The sobs came, wracking her body that she ached, but she didn't care. She was crying for everyone she had every loved, and for the life she truly believed she would never have.

**Bodnar Safe House-Northern Virginia**

"Malachi!" Bodnar's voice was full of venom. "Why did you not tell me that Agent DiNozzo was with Ziva this whole time?"

Malachi blanched at the anger being directed at him. "It did not occur to me that you would be interested, Ilan. Why does it matter?" He stood uneasily by the door, in case he needed to duck for cover.

"Why does it matter? Because I sent that bumbling fool Samuel Rivkin here to kill him, that's why! And the kill was confirmed! That means they have him." He rubbed the back of his neck in irritation.

"And DiNozzo's father? Is he still alive as well? Can I not rely on anyone?" Bodnar threw the book he had been reading against the wall.

Malachi took a deep breath and took several steps away from Bodnar. "Then I am sorry to tell you that I have more bad news."

Ilan spun around and glared at him. "What do you mean?"

"Yaniv." Malachi said quietly.

Bodnar's face paled and he reached for his chair and sat. "Is he dead?"

Malachi shook his head. "Perhaps it is worse. He has been captured by Mossad. He is not trained, Ilan. He will reveal the location of this house."

Bodnar stroked his chin, thinking. He sighed. "You!" A young man came from the kitchen. "Yes Sir?" He asked in Hebrew.

"It is time for you to pay your respect for me." Bodnar replied.

Malachi frowned.

**Walter Reed Hospital**

"Ok, I got it." Tony was walking in the hall with the assistance of two med techs. He would have much preferred the pretty nurses who graced the unit he was on, but he knew they had more important things to do than hold him in an upright position.

"Oh yeah, that feels good." Tony lied, gritting his teeth. The techs chuckled. "Glad you guys are enjoying this so much." Tony quipped.

"Get the lead out, DiNozzo." Gibbs was standing in the hall by his room.

"Oh, hey, Boss. Yeah, well, you know. Slow go is better than no go." Tony tried to grin, but the pain was really starting to kick in. "Ok, boys, I think I've had enough."

They eased him back into his room and into his bed. Gibbs watched closely, gaging how much pain Tony was having.

"Have you seen Ziva today?" Tony asked.

Gibbs cocked his head. "Oh, yeah. She decided she would come to work today."

Tony looked up, his mouth open. "Wha…?"

"Yeah, I know, DiNozzo. I chained her to her desk." Gibbs took a swig of his coffee.

Tony looked at Gibbs, not really sure if he was joking or not. "How did she get there? She didn't drive did she?"

"Oh, hell no. Not that stupid. Took a cab. She could have just called me. I'll take her home." Gibbs pulled up a chair.

"Speaking of Ziva driving, it's a damn good thing you weren't in _her_ car or we wouldn't be talking right now, Tony."

Tony leaned his head back. He had thought of that multiple times since the accident. "Any updates of Bodnar?"

"Nothing I'm telling you." Gibbs answered.

Tony stared at Gibbs, daring him to tell him. Gibbs just smiled and shook his head. "There's nothing you can do, Tony. No sense getting you riled up of things you have no control over."

"So things are happening." Tony pressed.

Gibbs cocked his head and shrugged. "You can say that. Not sure exactly what, though. Listen, when do you think you might get released?"

Tony shrugged and winced. Reaching with his right hand, he pressed the button on his PCA pump. "Sorry Boss. Will probably zone out soon. A couple days were the last I heard. Have to get rid of these IV's first." He looked around and the two IV bags that were hanging.

Gibbs nodded. "Hey, Boss, can you get McGee or Abby to bring Ziva by?"

"I'm sure Ziva can ask for a ride if she wants one Tony." Gibbs said vaguely.

"Wa…are you sayin' she don't wanna' come?" Tony's words were starting to slur from the Morphine, his expression one of hurt. Gibbs mentally slapped himself.

"That's not what I meant, Tony. I'll see that she gets here ok? You get some rest." Gibbs looked at his Senior Agent's face and watched his features relax as the narcotic finally took its hold.

Gibbs rubbed his face. He knew Ziva was pulling back, he could see it. He didn't want his Agents hurt and this was why he had rules, dammit! He understood where Ziva was coming from. She was beating herself up over this accident. Taking the blame, especially for Tony's injuries.

He hadn't pulled her aside to talk to her yet. He knew she was still working through everything and the shock of the accident had not worn off yet. He also knew from experience that it was best to let Ziva come to him than to force the issue.

But he was going to watch her, to make sure she didn't decide she should take this on alone, to save the team. Her idea of what was best for the team was skewed right now. He needed to make sure she didn't make any major decisions while in such a vulnerable and fragile state.

He really wished she had agreed to stay with him; then he could keep a better eye on her. He snorted, knowing this was probably why she refused. He looked at Tony, who was snoring lightly, his mouth relaxed.

He touched his hand, glad to feel its warmth. Sighing, he headed back to the Navy Yard.

**NCIS**

Ziva sat at her desk, looking forlornly at Tony's empty seat. She really thought that she would be able to work, but she found she couldn't even focus on simple emails; much less make any leaps in logic.

She rubbed her temples, irritated and tired. McGee had been watching her, concerned. He got up quietly and walked over to her desk. Squatting down in front of her, he watched her until she noticed he was there.

When she looked up, he smiled broadly. "Doing ok, there Ziva?" He asked, knowing she wasn't.

Ziva looked at her friend, thinking for the gazillionth time since the accident that these people were not just co-workers but they were friends, _family_. How could she justify her actions if she got them all killed?

"I am fine, McGee." She answered automatically.

Tim frowned. "Well, no you're not, but that's ok if you don't want to talk about it. I'm here when you do." He got up and walked back to his desk and returned to work.

Ziva sighed. "McGee."

Tim looked up. "Yes, Ziva?"

She smiled softly. "Thank you."

"Any time, Ziva. That's what friends are for." He turned back to his computer.

Suddenly, Vance came flying down the stairs. "Where's Gibbs?"

McGee stood up immediately. Ziva struggled to get to her feet, but Vance waved her down. "What is it, Director?" She was light headed but chose to ignore it.

"Mossad just called. We got a location for a safe house from Bodnar's brother." Vance looked at McGee, who was already calling Gibbs.

Ziva struggled to stand. "I am going with you."

Vance looked worried. "No, Agent David, you're not. You are not cleared for the field." He took a deep breath. "I understand you desire, no; your _need_ to be there but right now you would be a liability. I can't risk the rest of the team so they can watch out for you. I'm sorry."

Ziva's shoulders sagged and she dropped to her seat.

**Bodnar Safe House Northern Virginia**

Gibbs and McGee were set up outside, flanked by Virginia State Troopers. More than ever he missed having his two other Agents with him. Ducky and Jimmy were waiting down the road, in anticipation of a negative outcome. The goal was to get Bodnar alive but Gibbs knew that Bodnar would more than likely control his destination.

"Bodnar! You're surrounded. Surrender peacefully and no one will get hurt." Gibbs yelled out. He could make out movement inside the house.

"I'm going to tell you one last time, and then we come in, Bodnar!" Gibbs waited. Suddenly, shots came from the house.

"Take cover! Return fire!" Gibbs shouted. The noise was deafening as the group opened fire, the house literally ripped to shreds. After three minutes of barrage, the site was eerily quiet.

"Go! Go!" Gibbs ordered. He led the assault, followed quickly by McGee. He broke down the front door and cleared the living room.

McGee followed behind him to the hallway and bedrooms. "Clear!" He called out.

McGee went into the kitchen. "Boss! In here." Gibbs followed McGee's voice. He motioned to the floor. Gibbs looked down at a body. "Not Bodnar." He said. Gibbs swore to himself. He pulled out his phone.

"Yeah, Duck. Come on up, we got a body for you." He then called Vance.

"Leon? Yeah, we got someone, but not Bodnar. I'll let you know when I have more. No, don't say anything to Ziva or Tony just yet."

He looked down in disgust at the body, wanting to kick it as Ziva had kicked her father's killer.

He looked up as he heard the van. He went out and grabbed some gear to start working the crime scene, and got busy taking photos. By the time he was done, Ducky and Palmer had arrived.

"_All yours, Duck." Gibbs said. He noticed Palmer looking at him in amusement. "Something bothering you, Palmer?"_

"_No, no! It's just I've never seen you do anything at a crime scene before, uh, that didn't sound right. Ahhh…I've never seen you do any actual work." Gibbs looked up at him._

_Ducky glanced up from his squatted position on the floor. "I suggest you do __your__ work, Mr. Palmer before I have two bodies to examine."_

_Tim came in from one of the bedrooms, holding up a driver's license. "It's bogus. The driver's license number doesn't exist in the Virginia DMV database. And I'm sure his real name isn't Carl Miller."_

"_Yes, I tend to agree with you, McGee. This miscreant has no fingerprints." Ducky responded._

_Palmer pulled out a piece of paper between the unknown man's legs. "Got something." He handed it to Gibbs._

_He opened up the paper and read "See Riesiger 19." Ducky stood up._

"_Riesiger? Sounds like a name." He said._

_Gibbs looked at McGee. "You and Ziva run across anyone named Riesiger while you were tracking Bodnar?"_

_McGee looked blank. "No, I don't think so." Palmer found a medicine bottle in one of the man's pockets and opened it, pouring out its contents._

"_Looks like some polished stones." Jimmy held them up in his palm._

_Gibbs bent down and took them. "Uncut diamonds, Palmer. His payment for helping Bodnar." McGee looked at Gibbs._

"_With the rest of the diamonds, he could hide forever."_

Which was exactly what Ziva was worried about, and why they knew the accident had been on purpose. Now that he had his funds, he could hide anywhere.

**Walter Reed Hospital**

Abby had taken Ziva to the hospital to visit with Tony, since she was so agitated to not be in the field with Gibbs and McGee. She kept checking her watch and phone.

"If you're not careful, I'm going to think you really don't want to see me." Tony said quietly.

Ziva felt properly rebuked. She took his hand. "I am sorry Tony. I am worried, that is all. Ilan is very crafty. He is a dangerous adversary."

Tony frowned. "You think Gibbs and McGee are at a disadvantage?"

Ziva looked at Tony, dismayed she was upsetting him. "No, I am very confident in their abilities. I am sure they will get him, if he is at the house."

"You don't think he is there." It wasn't a question.

Ziva shrugged. "There is a leak in Mossad. He must have heard by now that Yaniv has been captured. It would only be a matter of time before he gave up the location of the safe house. Ilan knows that. Yaniv is not Mossad. He cannot withstand interrogation."

"So you think this is a wild goose chase?" Tony rubbed her hand with his thumb.

She sighed. "I hope not. But, yes. It is my fear."

"Come here." Tony said, offering his good arm. Ziva looked startled and glanced at the door. After giving it a few seconds thought, she carefully slid onto the bed, next to Tony.

"Are you ok?" She asked softly.

"I am now." He said. "I know this can't be too comfortable for you, but I wish you would stay here with me."

Ziva chuckled, and then stopped when her chest started to ache. "You are correct. It is comfortable for the moment, but I could not remain this way the whole night. No, I will have to go home, Tony."

"But not yet, right?" He whispered in her hair.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "No, not yet."

_**A sneak peek just came online, so that is the italics toward the end of this chapter. I will try to finish how I think "Revenge" will end before tomorrow night's episode airs. Thanks for the great reviews and support!**_


	55. Chapter 55

"_**Come here." Tony said, offering his good arm. Ziva looked startled and glanced at the door. After giving it a few seconds thought, she carefully slid onto the bed, next to Tony.**_

"_**Are you ok?" She asked softly.**_

"_**I am now." He said. "I know this can't be too comfortable for you, but I wish you would stay here with me."**_

_**Ziva chuckled, and then stopped when her chest started to ache. "You are correct. It is comfortable for the moment, but I could not remain this way the whole night. No, I will have to go home, Tony."**_

"_**But not yet, right?" He whispered in her hair.**_

_**She leaned her head on his shoulder. "No, not yet."**_

**So much unexpected things happened in "Revenge" and "Double Blind" that I was loathe to continue this. So I am jumping ahead to the finale, acknowledging what happened in the two past episodes within the framework of my fiction. Thanks for you continued support and desire for me to continue this story.**

Vignette Eleven: Part Twenty-Four

**NCIS**

Tony sat at his desk, trying to absorb the events of the past few weeks. The unwelcome appearance of one Richard Parsons had wreaked havoc on a team that thought it was on the way back to some sense of normality.

He and Ziva had finally healed from their accident injuries and Ziva from the additional hurts received from her fight with Bodnar. Bodnar. The very name made bile rise in his throat. He now knew that Vance had ordered Ziva to continue with the take-down of Bodnar and Gibbs had supported that decision. When Tony had gone to see Gibbs, to admit to his concern for Ziva; Gibbs had too quickly denied seeing the bruises Ziva had suddenly developed on her knuckles.

He mentally head-slapped himself for not seeing it. He knew how upset she was, and losing those diamonds had been devastating for her. Since the accident, she had insisted on staying alone in her apartment, instead of staying with him. He was becoming increasingly worried that she was rethinking their relationship.

His horror at seeing Bodnar fall from the ship was only slightly buffered by seeing her alive and able to walk. He knew it was physically impossible for her to have picked Bodnar up and throw him off the ship, so he wasn't surprised at her explanation: After sharing multiple blows, Bodnar tried to escape by climbing onto the railing to climb up to another level.

Ziva tried to stop him and he kicked her away. The force of his kick caused him to lose balance and he fell to his death. Ziva managed to get to her feet to see the end result. She was not happy he was dead; although she was relieved he was no longer a threat. She had truly wanted answers from him, wanted to know why he really killed her father, and what he was talking about regarding the killing of Kazmi.

They tried to get past everything, but he was surprised she bought a new car without consulting him. He loved her choice and couldn't wait to give it a spin, but still it was another decision she made without including him. The Mini was a minor detail, but it still stung. He felt like she was creating a void between them, one that would be impossible to repair and he wasn't sure of her motivation in doing this.

Richard Parsons started out as a slight annoyance that quickly became a dangerous adversary. And then came the revelation about Adam Eshel. He was so hurt and angry. They had not been in a relationship at that point, that didn't happen until the case with Khan. So he really couldn't say that she had cheated on him, but it still felt that way and he wasn't sure what, if anything, he should do about that. He still loved her desperately, and still wanted to marry her. But now his confidence was shaken.

And he was really pissed at Adam. He sat with the guy at a café, and there he was, knowing the whole time he had slept with Ziva, probably comparing Tony to himself, wondering probably what Ziva ever saw in him. _"Stop it, DiNozzo! You're being paranoid."_ He berated himself.

He was frustrated at Ziva refusing to see the seriousness of her time with Adam, but he realized that she was probably in denial and trying to forget it ever happened. She never thought Tony would find out about it, so she was not prepared to discuss it and excuse it, much less have to have a lawyer involved.

The Pow-wow in Autopsy filled him with pride and relief as he saw the team rally around Ziva, prepared to do anything to save her name and her career. The evidence of Shmeil being involved in the events of Munich was a shock. Tony knew this old man had a lot of stories in him, but intelligence operations was not one he had considered, whether it was once or on multiple occasions.

He shook his head. He thought it couldn't get worse and although it wasn't good news, the angle that Parsons was really going after Vance brought him a sense of relief. It made him all the more angry that Parsons had used Ziva and made those accusations; all to get a reaction. This man was dangerous and needed to be watched.

Ziva losing her security clearance was also unexpected and troubling, especially in light of the evidence pointing to her not being his target.

When Tony saw Parsons heading for the elevator, he couldn't resist the opportunity. He challenged him and told him to lay off. Parsons again tried to goad him, saying Ziva had "dissed" him. How did this guy know what their relationship was or wasn't at the time? He was starting to feel like Evan, thinking his and Ziva's life had been on display for some unnamed and unknown entity.

When Parsons said to him "what makes you think I'm going after Ziva?" he was truly shocked. After talking to McGee and Ziva, he realized he had been referring to Vance.

He rubbed his face. They had all been wrong, _so wrong_. Gibbs had been the target all along. Parsons had to have been planning this from the get-go; this wasn't something he stumbled upon during his investigation to "cross the T's and dot the I's".

Tony frowned. He knew that Gibbs was unorthodox, and he allowed the team to operate within sometimes questionable parameters. How many times had McGee been ordered to hack into some database; or how many places had they picked locks rather than getting a court order?

But no one had been hurt and they got their suspect and closed cases. They had a high success rate, and were considered the elite of NCIS. So where was the problem?

Tony didn't know much about Gibbs' time at NCIS before he had joined. He knew he started by working with Mike Franks, and then Franks quit and Gibbs was placed under Riley McAllister. He figured he was the one who paired Gibbs with Jenny, but he didn't know for sure.

He certainly didn't know about any of the cases Gibbs and Jenny had worked. Was there something in one of them?

A sudden noise caught his attention, as men began moving boxes of case files through the bull pen. He looked across at Ziva. "Records being subpoenaed." He watched the cart head to the elevator

She looked worried and distracted. Ziva had stayed with Tony after Gibbs was informed of the investigation being focused on him. This was another low blow: Gibbs was as much or more a father to her than Eli ever was. She couldn't bear the thought of something happening to him.

They had talked about Adam, but it was still a sore subject. Ziva was more concerned about Gibbs at the moment than Tony's fractured feelings, and to be honest, so was Tony. He put aside his own feelings to focus on helping Team Gibbs remain intact.

Tony had tried to convince her that nothing would happen, that Gibbs always came out on top. But this Richard Parsons was a barracuda, dangerous and unpredictable. Plus they really didn't know what he was basing his case on. Was it one thing, or a variety of things?

So they did their own investigation, on the sly. Trying to see what Parsons was seeing in the reports that screamed illegal or inappropriate. Of evidence manipulation and obstruction of justice.

He glanced at Ziva. He supposed their continued efforts to find Bodnar after being told to step aside could be designated as "obstruction of justice" but Vance was behind that as much as Gibbs.

He remembered Gibbs' relentless pursuit of identifying and baiting Ari Haswari. Did they blame him for Kate's death? Tony shook his head at that. It made no sense.

They all had their moments of bending the rules, of making mistakes, and Gibbs was going to be made an example, made to pay the price.

"_Not if I have anything to do about it!"_ Tony stood up. "Campfire in Autopsy in five minutes." He strode to the elevator as Ziva and McGee exchanged knowing glances.

**Autopsy**

They all stood as they did two days prior, only this time there was one missing from the ranks. Gibbs was with Vance at the moment, meeting with Attorney A.J. Chegwidden, Rear Admiral, Ret. Gibbs had known him from one of their earlier cases together that involved JAG. He was now retired and working in the private sector.

Tony hoped he was working pro bono because he couldn't imagine what his fees would be. He looked around at everyone's solemn faces. He wasn't officially in charge, even though Gibbs was relieved of duty while the investigation was ongoing. He assumed the role naturally and by default.

"Ok, we know what we are up against. Parsons is trying to make Gibbs out to be some out of control vigilante who takes the law into his own hands. We need to make sure this doesn't happen."

Abby raised her hand. "Tony, how can we do that? Parsons has our files. We can't alter them to make them look better. And he is going to take his own interpretation of what was written. He could even accuse us of altering the records to read how we want them to read, instead of what the truth was."

Tony narrowed his eyes at that last statement_. "Was Abby referring to something she knew about?" _ He would have to take her aside, as he didn't want any surprises rearing its ugly head as they tried to save Gibbs'.

Abby knew what she was saying, as she altered the results of her findings in the Pedro Hernandez case, hiding the fact that Gibbs had been the sniper who killed him. To her knowledge only she and Gibbs knew this, but now she wasn't sure.

"You are correct, Abigail. There is nothing we can do about what has already happened. I suggest that we make other things happen that will change the outcome." Ducky responded.

"Such as?" McGee asked.

"Parsons is only going to focus on negative results of what he considers inappropriate behavior. He will conveniently ignore the positive outcomes that have come from our fearless Leader's unorthodox methods." Ducky looked at Tony.

"Are your case files still accessible to you, or has access been denied?"

Tony pursed his lips. "They have removed the physical files. All we have are our reports that we have saved on our computers. Gibbs' computer has been confiscated, so we can't access his files."

"We better check our own, to make sure they have not disappeared. I would not put it past these men to take our own words away from us." Ziva looked grim.

McGee looked up at that. "Can they do that?"

"I don't know McGee, can _you_ hack?" Tony's shoulders sagged. McGee frowned.

They all stared at each other, the tension palpable. "Ok." Tony began. "McGee, Ziva and I will check out files and print out every damn report we ever wrote." He turned to Ducky.

"Ducky, do the same with your autopsy results. They can take your files away as easily as they can take ours." Ducky looked highly affronted at that thought.

"Abby, you do the same with your forensic reports. I'm going up to Vance's office to see what is happening on that front." One by one, they all made their way back to their desks.

McGee and Ziva worked feverishly to locate their files. McGee suggested that rather than printing them all, they put them on a flash drive. It would be quicker to drag the files to the drive, and there wouldn't be the chance of accidently leaving a page or two on the printer. They were relieved to see that it appeared their computers had not been tampered with.

By using the flash drive, they were able to move their files very quickly. Tim suggested they do the same with their personal files and he would remove any that they wanted gone. He then went to Tony's computer and moved his case reports to a flash drive.

**Vance's Office**

Albert Jethro Chegwidden listened quietly as Vance and Gibbs explained the current situation. He sighed. He knew Gibbs; he had worked with him before and found his methods unorthodox. But illegal?

"I need to know anything and everything you have ever done that could be considered illegal. I think we all know what the obstruction of justice charge is all about." He stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"Bodnar." Gibbs replied, looking at Vance.

"I'm to blame as much or more for that than Gibbs is, A.J. They are making an example out of him." Vance's mouth was a thin line of disapproval.

"Yes, Bodnar. Homeland specifically instructed you to stand down, but you did not. Why?" A.J. was not being judgmental, he was curious.

Vance sighed deeply. "He killed my wife, A.J. He killed Agent David's father. Homeland was dragging their feet and doing nothing, and not giving us any answers."

"Yes, I know all about vengeance. It usually has a way of biting you in the ass."

Gibbs smiled slightly, but became serious again. "Bodnar intimated that he was not responsible for killing the Iranian Arash Kazmi. Then who was? Why was Homeland so intent on getting their hands on him first? They didn't just want us to not bring him in; they didn't want us anywhere near him."

A.J. sat up at that. "Are you suggesting that Homeland was trying to do a cover up, that perhaps someone in their ranks was responsible for that assassination?"

Gibbs cocked his head and looked at Vance. "The thought crossed our minds."

"So in a way, you were investigating Homeland Security. This just keeps getting better and better." A.J. tapped his pen on the table.

"Are you still working this angle, or have you stopped because Bodnar is dead?"

Gibbs looked frustrated. "We really have nothing to go on. Bodnar never revealed what he knew or thought he knew to Ziva." A light bulb went off in his head. "The whole interrogation thing of Ziva may have also been to find out if he _had_ told her anything. Knowing Ziva, she would have thrown it right back into Parson's face. They are satisfied we know nothing of Kazmi, and have dropped their focus on Ziva."

"Still, I suggest you have your team pursue this. It could give us leverage. In the meantime, what do they have on you or what could they get on you that could send you to prison for a long time?" AJ looked directly at Gibbs.

Gibbs shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Well, we do bend the rules: we hack into computers, including the FBI, Homeland, CIA, Mossad…"

AJ's eyes widened at that and he shook his head. "What else?"

"I have taken things from evidence, to use in other cases. One example that comes to mind is I took some money to pay the ransom for a little girl that had been kidnapped." Gibbs rubbed the back of his neck.

"I have also tampered with evidence. I switched out some DNA samples to prevent a career Marine from being dishonorably discharged because he had given up a kidney to a friend."

AJ stopped writing and looked at Gibbs. "Evidence tampering is serious, but I can't fault your reasoning. Anything else."

The silence hung in the room like a wet blanket. AJ frowned. "What is it?"

Gibbs sighed. He looked at Vance, who nodded slightly. Taking a deep breath, he spoke softly.

"I committed first-degree murder."

AJ started, and then leaned back in his chair. "Tell me."

Gibbs shrugged. "I killed the man responsible for the murders of my wife and daughter. I found out who he was, I went down to Mexico and shot him with a long-range sniper's rifle."

"Holy shit." AJ finally responded after several moments of silence. "Who else know this?"

"I do. Mike Franks did." Vance offered.

"Abby knows." Gibbs said quietly, with remorse.

Vance looked up sharply at that. "Her findings on the autopsy?"

Gibbs nodded and looked at AJ. "Abby was sent to Mexico to teach a class on cold cases. The cold case in question just happened to be one Pedro Hernandez."

"The man you killed." AJ commented.

"Yeah. Abby of'course had no idea, and did her thing. She figured it out."

"What did she do about it?" AJ asked, knowing the answer since Gibbs was still sitting in front of him.

"She altered her report. I didn't make her do it, and I wish to God now she hadn't. I don't want Abby dragged down in this." Gibbs looked worried.

AJ shook his head. "We will keep her out of this if possible. It depends on what Parsons knows."

He took a deep breath. "Well, I don't have to tell you that this is very serious. Even if you overlook the fact that you murdered someone, whom they might considering the circumstances; it does present the case that acting on revenge is standard operating procedure for you and by extension your team. That you have a tendency to skirt the law to get what you want, regardless of how favorable the outcome. The case they will present is that you could have gotten the same results without bending the rules; without breaking any laws. They will try to show that you lack judgment and act on feelings rather than facts: a dangerous combination for anyone in law enforcement."

Gibbs looked away. "So what are we looking at here?"

AJ studied his face. "Worst case scenario? They charge, try and convict you of the first-degree murder of Pedro Hernandez, in which case you go to prison for life or maybe even get the death penalty."

Gibbs' face lost all of its color at that pronouncement. Instinctively, he knew it was just. He _did_ commit murder. But he felt justified and even now, knowing what he knew now, he would still do it.

AJ held up his hand. "Having said that, I don't think that is what their end game is. I think they want to serve you up on a silver platter, for all Agencies to see: _'This is what happens when you don't play by the rules.'_ If you're lucky, you'll get to retire with all of your benefits. If they really want to make a statement, you will be fired and lose not only your pension from the Federal Government but also any benefits you have from the Corps."

Gibbs absorbed what AJ just said. _"Fired? Retired?"_ He looked at his old friend. "Is there any way none of that will play out?"

AJ looked sadly at Gibbs. "The only way we are going to beat them at this is if we can prove they are coming after you and your team to hide something that _they_ are doing: like covering up the assassination of Arash Kazmi."

Gibbs and Vance sat up at that. "Is that what you think is going on?" Vance asked.

AJ shrugged. "The timing is questionable. Other things have happened in the past that could have warranted an investigation. But it was only after the death of Bodnar, someone that they wanted their hands on, that they come knocking at your door. Oh, I think they are definitely hiding something and using you as a scapegoat. Not that you haven't done some really stupid things. You have. But if we can turn the tables on them, we may have a chance. But I can't promise there won't be any casualties."

"What do you mean?" Gibbs asked cautiously.

"Even if it is proven that DOD is using this as a cover up for their own operations, your team has still made some questionable decisions. Someone may have to go. Maybe not go as in 'fired', but maybe off your team."

Gibbs didn't like the sound of that at all. "If someone leaves my team, it should be me. I stand by what I said to Parsons: I take full responsibility for their actions. I won't let anything happen to them."

"And will any of them let something happen to you?" AJ asked.

Gibbs didn't want to think of that, that one of them would sacrifice themselves for his honor. And deep down, he knew who would most likely be willing to do that…Ziva.

_**Well, that's the start. I will try to do more this weekend, and be finished before the finale. Thanks again for the support for this series. **_


	56. Chapter 56

"_**Even if it is proven that DOD is using this as a cover up for their own operations, your team has still made some questionable decisions. Someone may have to go. Maybe not go as in 'fired', but maybe off your team."**_

_**Gibbs didn't like the sound of that at all. "If someone leaves my team, it should be me. I stand by what I said to Parsons: I take full responsibility for their actions. I won't let anything happen to them."**_

"_**And will any of them let something happen to you?" AJ asked.**_

_**Gibbs didn't want to think of that, that one of them would sacrifice themselves for his honor. And deep down, he knew who would most likely be willing to do that…Ziva.**_

Vignette Eleven: Part Twenty-Five

Tony stood up when the Director's door opened. Gibbs looked at his Senior Field Agent. "What to do you need, DiNozzo?"

Tony frowned slightly. "Just checking to see how things are going, and fill you in are what we are doing."

"Don't." A.J. spoke up. "The less Gibbs knows the better. However, please feel free to fill me in on any details that you deem pertinent to this investigation."

Tony glanced at Gibbs, who cocked his head indicating he should go with the lawyer. Tony felt uneasy, but led the elder man down the hall to one of the conference rooms.

Tony closed the door behind him and waited for the lawyer to sit. "Please tell me you are going to get him out of this." He burst out.

A.J. cocked an eyebrow. "That remains to be seen. A lot will depend on what DOD throws at us. Do you have any details to add or are you just worried?"

Tony smiled without humor. "I'm in charge of the team while Gibbs is out, so it is in all of our best interest to make sure Gibbs is cleared of all charges. But you're right: we can't fight Parsons unless we know what he knows. We're copying all of our case reports so we can review them, look for something that might stand out. Parsons wasn't there; he doesn't know how these cases went down."

A.J. nodded. "I think it's a good idea to get your files before they get it in their mind to take them from you. What else?"

Tony paced. "Well, Ducky and Abby are doing the same with their records. We're hoping to counteract the charges by showing how much good Gibbs has done."

A.J. smiled sympathetically. "I'm afraid a Fed like Richard Parsons isn't that concerned with the outcome. It's the journey that holds his interest. How did you get to the end result? Did you break any laws getting there? That's what this is about. I wouldn't waste your time following that course."

Tony sat down, frustrated. "There _is_ something else."

A.J. looked interested. "Continue, please."

"Bodnar. He told Ziva that he wasn't responsible for the death of Arash Kazmi. Now he never told Ziva who was, or who he _thought_ was responsible. But Homeland and CIA both seemed a bit too eager to get their hands on Bodnar. Or rather, for us to keep our hands off of him."

A.J. drummed his fingers. This was what Gibbs and Vance had said. "You think someone from DOD may have been involved?"

Tony shrugged. "It's possible. Look, why are they coming after Gibbs after all these years? What is so important _right now_ that he needs to be scrutinized? The only thing I can think of is Bodnar. And by extension, Kazmi. I think they are using Gibbs as a cover to hide their own illegal methods, by assassinating a Foreign Minister on U.S. soil. If it was a CIA job, then they really overstepped their boundaries. Or…"

Tony frowned. "It was a rogue in one of their ranks, and they don't know who it is. They wanted Bodnar, so he could tell them." Tony's eyes went wide. "Son of a Bitch!"

A.J. smiled as he listened to Tony come to the same conclusion he had. "Agent DiNozzo, I want you to listen to me. I want you to find out what you can about the Kazmi assassination, without calling attention to yourself or letting Gibbs know. You can keep Vance in the loop. I'm in agreement with your assessment that there is definitely more to this than meets the eye, and you may have just hit the center mark." He stood up.

"Vance and I need to go now and meet with Parsons. I'll keep in touch." They shook hands and the lawyer took his leave. Tony headed back down to the bullpen but was disappointed that Gibbs was not there.

"Did Gibbs stop by?" He asked Ziva.

She shook her head sadly. "We saw him on the balcony but he kept going. I am guessing he does not want to involve us." She sighed and looked down.

Tony motioned for McGee to join them. "I just spoke to A.J., the attorney that is taking Gibbs' case. He thinks there is something more going on as well, like someone is hiding something and using this to draw attention away."

McGee looked pissed. "You mean like Kazmi."

"Exactly. I've been asked to snoop around, but not get caught. We can't tell Gibbs anything that we are doing. Plausible deniability I guess. But Vance is to be kept in the loop."

"Where is Gibbs going now?" Ziva asked.

Tony looked at her, seeing the shadows under her eyes. "I'm not sure. AJ and Vance are heading over to DOD to speak with Parsons."

**Richard Parson's office-Department of Defense**

If there was one thing that could be said about the Federal Government, it was that they didn't go out of their way to make their offices comfortable. The office where DOD Investigator Richard Parsons was housed was something out of the seventies with dark wood, library standard chairs and dull paint. His office was surprisingly small for someone who was supposed to be on the fast track.

"Come in." He answered tersely, glancing up at his visitors. He smiled knowingly as he took in his guests.

"I see you're bringing in the big guns." He looked smug and amused. Director Vance, Homeland Security Senior Chief Tom Morrow and Attorney A.J. Chegwhidden all stared back at him, decidedly _not_ amused.

"What's this about, Parsons?" Tom began. "You can't seriously be thinking of going after Gibbs."

Parsons was writing notes, ignoring their presence. He looked up and smiled without humor. "Why would you think I'm not serious, Tom?" He asked, his voice dripping with honey-laced venom. "I can assure you that I am quite serious." He looked down at his paperwork.

"In fact, I have enough evidence right now to indict Gibbs!" He threw away all pretense of cooperation.

"It is time to stop the vigilante actions of our government employees. What we have here is anarchy. If you can't control your people, Director, then I will." Parsons looked at Vance.

"What is this really about?" A.J. asked quietly.

Parsons looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel. "What is this really about? It's about a Former Gunnery Sergeant who thinks he doesn't have to follow the rules. About a leader of a group of investigative Agents who encourages this same behavior in his team. A team that thinks their actions does not require supervision or question."

A.J. shook his head, further infuriating Parsons. "You really don't know, do you?" He asked, his voice displaying pity. Parsons looked confused.

"Who handed you this investigation?" Vance asked.

Parsons whipped his head to look at him. "Excuse me?"

"This assignment, to go after Gibbs and his team. This wasn't a simple follow-up to the Bodnar case. This was a specific target. I want to know who ordered it and why." Vance spat.

Parsons eyed the three men. "You're fishing. You have no case and you know it. Trying to turn the tables on me, make me look like the bad guy? Not gonna' happen. Want to know why? Because I am smarter than you are."

"You're also an arrogant prick." Vance shouted. "We know this is about Kazmi. We know someone is covering up his assassination and they are using my Agents as their scapegoats. Well, I won't allow it. We will beat you, and you will be sorry you ever heard of the name Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

"Are you threatening me?" Parsons demanded. His mind was in overdrive. _"Kazmi? The Iranian Diplomat? What in the Hell were they talking about?"_ Not wanting to reveal his inner turmoil, he just pointed to his door.

"You can see yourself out, Gentlemen."

**Gibbs Home- North Alexandria**

Gibbs sat in his truck for a few moments as he pulled into his driveway. He couldn't believe this was happening, not now anyway. He may have expected something like this years ago, but he thought the time had passed, that no one would look his way again. Sighing heavily, he got out of his truck and heading for his front door.

Frowning, he noted the door was ajar. Removing his weapon, he slowly and carefully entered his own premises.

What he found inside was so shocking he couldn't breathe: his home had been ransacked. The furniture was overturned, the TV on the floor busted up. His books had been thrown about. He stooped down to pick up the lone framed photo he had of him, Shannon and Kelly.

He rubbed his hand over the glass where it was broken, trying to keep back the tears. Making a decision, he pulled out his phone and called A.J. He then called Tony and told him what had happened and for them to get over here and work the scene.

Tony, Ziva and McGee arrived less than twenty minutes later. They were just as stunned by the destruction of Gibbs' home. Tony stood beside him.

"Could they have been looking for something, Boss?" He asked tentatively.

"Well, yeah DiNozzo. I'm sure that was the idea. But I don't know what they expected to find." Gibbs looked around in defeat.

A.J. was furious by what he saw. "Gibbs, did you have any files here? Any old cases that maybe you think would be nothing, but someone else may have an interest in?"

Gibbs considered the question. Then he remembered the box that Mike Franks had given him two years ago. He had referred to it at the time as "his insurance policy".

That box had revealed the members of the Phantom Eight and "Operation Frankenstein". Gibbs had gone through the box and reviewed the contents to see what tidbits Franks had left him. But for the life of him, he couldn't think of anything he read that was alarming or worth…_this_. He realized he should have had another set of eyes look at the documents and recognized he had made a tactical error in dismissing the contents as important.

He rushed downstairs to his basement and opened up the chest he had covered with an old blanket. Just as he feared, the box was gone. "Dammit!" He exclaimed.

"Uh, Boss? What's all this?" Gibbs looked up to see Tony looking quizzically at a wooden carving of some initials. Tony looked back at Gibbs, holding out the oval-shaped object.

"It's nothing, DiNozzo. I'll take that." Gibbs held out his hand impatiently. DiNozzo took his hand back and studied the design again.

"T-D-Z?" He asked, unsure if he was seeing it clearly.

Gibbs sighed and walked over to the bench to pour a stiff drink. "T-D-Z. For you and Ziva. Once I realized you two were together, I figured you may need some things in the future."

"Some things? Like what?" Tony was confused. "Why would we need a block of wood with our initials on it?"

Gibbs cocked his head and rolled his eyes. He got up and walked over to a large object in the corner that was covered in a sheet. Unceremoniously, he pulled it off.

Tony's eyes bulged out when he realized what he was looking at. "Boss, you thought…?"

"Well, yeah, Tony. Someday. You're getting married aren't you?" Gibbs shook his head at his Senior Agents shocked expression, and then stopped smiling when he saw the change in Tony's features.

"Tony, you need to talk to Ziva about what happened in Israel. Don't let this come between you." Gibbs looked worried.

"Other things are more important right now." Tony answered repressively.

"DiNozzo, put yourself in her shoes. What if it had been your father and you were in Europe dealing with the aftermath and you were overwhelmed with grief and alone and just needed some comfort. What would you have done?"

"I would have called Ziva." Tony answered quietly.

Gibbs stared at him and then laughed ruefully. "That's bullshit, DiNozzo and you know it. You would have headed to the nearest bar and picked up the prettiest woman you could find. And then the next night you would have done it again. Don't go judging Ziva, unless you can be honest with yourself. Was she wrong? Absolutely, if only from the standpoint of the legal ramifications she's dealing with right now. But unless you've been lying to me, you two were not a couple at that time, so you had no claim on her. Oh, you may have wanted one, but wishing doesn't make it so."

Gibbs rubbed his face. "Don't let the best thing that has ever happened to you slip away because of a foolish sense of manly pride. Tell you what. When this is all over with, you and I are going to Tel Aviv and beat the shit out of Adam Eshel."

For the first time in days, Tony laughed out loud. Gibbs couldn't help it and soon he was laughing with him. They were so loud, that Ziva came down the stairs in alarm.

She stared at them, irritated. "From the noise down here, I thought someone was dying. What is this? What is there to laugh about, please explain this to me?"

Gibbs and Tony looked at Ziva, and then burst into laughter again. Ziva tapped her foot impatiently. Suddenly, she saw the piece of furniture behind Gibbs.

"What…what is that, Gibbs?" She looked at him, her eyes large and round. She then looked at Tony, who had stopped laughing and was now looking quite wistful.

"What does it look like, Ziver? It's a crib. I figured I better get started, once you too get married it will only be a matter of time before you need one."

Ziva felt her face get hot, and she looked everywhere but at Tony. _"A crib? What was Gibbs thinking?"_ When she finally looked at Tony, he was staring at her intently, a look she couldn't fathom on his face.

"Well, we do not need it at the moment, so can we please focus on the matter at hand?" Ziva wasn't sure what was really going on, but she realized that Gibbs and Tony had clearly shared something and it had to do with her. Normally, she didn't like to be discussed by others, but she felt oddly comforted. She didn't know what they had said, but she knew it was all good.

They headed back upstairs. A.J. turned to Gibbs. "You and I are going to pay Mr. Parsons another visit. I want to know if this is his handiwork." Gibbs nodded to his team and left with the lawyer.

**Courtroom A: Federal Court House, Washington**

Richard Parsons strolled down the hall, briefcase in hand. He had a hearing in ten minutes and he liked to be early, if only to fluster the defendant and their counsel. Playing mind games was a strength of his, and he prided himself on his ability to out-psych his opponent.

He was brought up short when he saw Chegwhidden and Gibbs waiting for him outside the doors to the courtroom.

"Sorry, your hearing hasn't been scheduled yet." He said acerbically.

"There won't be a hearing when I'm done with you." A.J. barked. "What in the Hell kind of games are you playing here? You want to talk obstruction of justice? How about evidence tampering, illegal entry and destruction of personal property?"

Parsons had started to open his mouth to cut A.J. off, but his rant stopped him. He looked at Gibbs, and then back at the attorney. "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I am talking about. Ordering Gibbs' home to be ransacked, performing an illegal search for incriminating evidence. You have violated the rights of my client!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! First of all, I _never_ ordered such a search and seizure. Second of all, I would never stoop to those kinds of practices!" Parsons was breathing heavily. He turned to Gibbs.

"Are you saying this happened? That someone entered your home and searched it?"

"Destroyed is more like it." Gibbs answered quietly, knowing he needed to say as little as possible, to let A.J. take the lead on this, as angry as he was.

A.J. scrutinized Parsons' face. "You really didn't know about this, did you?"

Parsons was livid. "No I didn't."

A.J. squared his shoulders. "Well then, perhaps you need to watch your back as well. I told you someone else was pulling the strings here. Do you believe me now?"

A.J. motioned for Gibbs to leave with him, as Parsons watched them leave in shock.

"Do you have a place to stay, that no one knows about?" A.J. asked Gibbs.

Gibbs nodded. "I have an old cabin in Shenandoah. Use it when I go fishing or hunting. Not much to look at or speak of."

"It'll do." A.J. responded. "Let's get you packed up and head out. The sooner we get you out of sight the better."

Gibbs frowned. "You thinking someone may be after me, as well as whatever information I may have?"

"It's a possibility I am willing to consider and take precautions against." A.J. answered solemnly. "No one knows where you are going, not even your team."

"Well, one or two of them might make a wild guess. DiNozzo's been there; so has Ducky."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Let's go."

**NCIS**

Ziva was frustrated. Even though she still had computer access, her security clearance level had been reduced to the point that she may as well not have one.

"This is ridiculous! I cannot do my job!" She banged her hands on her desk.

"I think that's the point, Ziva." Tony answered absently, intent on his own screen.

She frowned at him, not likely his comment. She watched McGee type furiously, his fingers flying over his keyboard.

"Here, Ziva." McGee piped up. "I'm sending you security footage from our building when Kazmi was here. You can review the tapes to see if you see anything suspicious."

Ziva felt like McGee was throwing her a bone. She did _not_ want to review security footage brought up by someone else; she wanted to perform her own search! But she knew she didn't have much choice at the moment.

"Thank you, McGee." She said quietly, quickly pulling up the video.

They worked in silence for two hours, taking stretch and coffee breaks. Tony leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. "I got nothing, you guys. Anything?"

McGee was looking at three different monitors, but he didn't look any closer to finding anything. Ziva looked bored and felt useless. The quality of the video left a lot to be desired and much of what she was looking at was at night.

Suddenly, she frowned; and backed up the video. Tony caught her change in expression and got up out of his chair.

"You got something, Ziva?" He asked. McGee looked up.

"I am not sure. I thought I saw something or someone in the shadows outside our building that looked familiar."

Tony threw his hands up in the air. "Well, that's not a surprise, since we know practically everyone who works here!" He started to head back to his desk.

Ziva's intake of breath stopped him. "Not this person." She said. Her eyes scared Tony. She knew who this was and whoever it was, they were not supposed to be there.

"Ziva?" He asked hesitantly. She put the image up of the plasma.

The three team members stood in front of the screen. "It's not a good image." Tony complained. Ziva turned to him, and then took the remote. Pressing a button, she closed in on the dark figure and enlarged it.

"Is that…?" McGee looked shocked. His whipped toward Ziva, who was looking very upset.

Tony rubbed his face. "You have got to be kidding me!"

They all stared at the unmistakable image of Malachi Ben-Gidon, standing in the shadows outside the Navy Yard complex, talking on his cell phone.

"Hey McGee, any way we can find out who he was talking to? Can we go that far back?"

McGee immediately sat at his desk and typed in some parameters. "Not easily, but I think between me and Abby, we can call in some favors."

"Do it." Tony said. He turned and looked at Ziva. "We need to talk." He said, his voice short and clipped.

Ziva's eyes betrayed her emotions over this new revelation. Sighing, she followed Tony into the elevator. She expected him to flip the switch, but he allowed the elevator to continue its descent. She was surprised that he chose to take them outside, into the quadrangle.

It wasn't crowded and the weather was pleasant. If it wasn't for the reason they were there, Ziva would have actually enjoyed the moment.

"More questions for me, Tony? This time about Malachi? You already know the truth about that." Tony felt like cold water had been thrown in his face, being reminded of Adam. Knowing Ziva and Malachi had slept together when they were partnered in Mossad did not improve his feelings on the matter, but at least that was before she knew him.

"No, but thanks for reminding me of your moment of weakness." He shot back, sharper than he intended. When he saw the clouded look on Ziva's face, he felt instantly contrite.

"Come here, sit with me." He softened his tone and sat on a stone bench, away from the walkways. Ziva stood hesitantly, until Tony added "Please?"

Sighing, she sat next to him, absently rubbing her left hand with her right, trying to absorb what she just saw.

"What do you think about this?" Tony asked.

Ziva looked at him, tears threatening. "I do not know what to think, Tony. I had trusted Malachi, we both trusted him in Berlin. Why was he here when my father was? He was not part of a security detail, so he was not here at the bequest of my father."

Tony considered that. "Could Mossad have sent their own security detail, knowing Eli was coming here but not why?"

Ziva shook her head. "You are thinking they did not know about his meeting with Kazmi, and when they saw he was here, they assumed he would threaten Eli. When my father was killed, Mossad killed him in retaliation?"

Tony nodded. "Something like that."

"I do not think so, Tony. Ilan knew what my father was doing. If he knew, then someone else in power had to know as well. I would be more inclined to think he was killed because it was convenient due to the circumstances. Having said that, I do not believe that Mossad was behind Kazmi's death."

Tony sighed, disappointed. "Are you sure?" He said. He was hoping they had just broken the case.

Ziva looked into his eyes, begging him to believe her. "One hundred percent? No, I am not. But I highly doubt it. Could someone from Mossad have killed Kazmi? Absolutely. I am only saying I do not believe it was a Mossad hit."

Tony searched her face, looking for doubt or worse: deception. He saw none. "Ok." He said, taking her hand in his. That one gesture almost caused Ziva to lose it. She squeezed his hand back.

"I am concerned about Malachi, Tony." She began hesitantly.

He looked back at her, giving her is full attention. "Monique had told us that she thought Adam was CIA, which he denied. Malachi even mentioned CIA having a mole inside Ilan's operation. Could they both have been lying to us? Or telling us enough of the truth that we would not question it?"

Tony had flinched slightly at Adam's name, and he berated himself for his knee-jerk reaction.

"Are you saying that you think one of them may in fact have or are working with the CIA? That the CIA might be involved in Kazmi's death?"

"Ilan said he was not responsible, that things were not as they seemed. I can think of no other conclusion." Ziva looked down, knowing she had just condemned Adam, Malachi or both.

"Ziva." Tony tender voice broke through her thoughts. "I know they are your friends, but do you really think either of them could have done this?"

Ziva smiled sadly at Tony's attempt to call Adam her friend, knowing he was healing and moving forward. That alone was worth the terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"I am not aware that Adam has ever been here, but then I wouldn't have believed that Malachi was here in January." She shrugged helplessly.

Tony rubbed her back absently, automatically soothing her when she was upset. She laid her head against his shoulder. "Tony, I am so sorry for everything that has happened. I wish I could go back and change everything"

"Everything?" He asked, stroking her hair. She smiled softly.

"Almost everything." She looked at him. "I would never change falling in love with you, having you in my life."

He bent his head to kiss her, not caring that they were in a public place. "I love you, Ziva. I'm not happy about what happened between you and Adam, but I'll get over it. You are too important to me to lose over a bruised ego."

His phone rang, interrupting their reverie. "Yeah, DiNozzo."

"Tony, you and Ziva need to get up here, now." McGee said, his voice betraying his anxiety.

"We'll be right there."

_**That's all for now. The Final Chapter will be posted Monday night. Thanks for the great support for this series.**_


	57. Chapter 57

_**Tony rubbed her back absently, automatically soothing her when she was upset. She laid her head against his shoulder. "Tony, I am so sorry for everything that has happened. I wish I could go back and change everything."  
**_

"_**Everything?" He asked, stroking her hair. She smiled softly.**_

"_**Almost everything." She looked at him. "I would never change falling in love with you, having you in my life."**_

_**He bent his head to kiss her, not caring that they were in a public place. "I love you, Ziva. I'm not happy about what happened between you and Adam, but I'll get over it. You are too important to me to lose over a bruised ego."**_

_**His phone rang, interrupting their reverie. "Yeah, DiNozzo."**_

"_**Tony, you and Ziva need to get up here, now." McGee said, his voice betraying his anxiety.**_

"_**We'll be right there."**_

**This is very long, but I was afraid if I didn't finish it now, I wouldn't get it done before Tuesday. Hope you enjoy this final installment of "Promonitions".**

Vignette Eleven: Part Twenty-Six

**NCIS**

In an unprecedented move, Director Vance had herded everyone into an elevator. The seven of them barely squeezed in. In a pure Gibbs move, Vance hit the stop switch, throwing them all in semi-darkness.

"Gibbs has left the area. He is staying in a cabin he has in Shenandoah. Until we know the true nature of the attack at his home, we are keeping him in protective isolation."

"Who's protecting him?" Ziva asked.

Vance sighed. "Well, as of right now, he is. He's refusing any detail."

"Probably wants whoever it was that tossed his house to show up." Tony suggested.

Vance turned to him, smiling without humor. "I hope for his sake that doesn't happen." Abby raised her hand.

"What about the rest of the stuff in his house?"

Ziva spoke up. "The things that were not sent here to be processed were placed in storage. I did not think at the time that Gibbs would be leaving, though." She looked at Tony, wondering if he knew this would happen.

As if sensing her unasked question, he slightly shook his head. He looked at Vance. "How are we to proceed?"

"Keep your eyes and ears open and report to me. We want to find out exactly what is going on without alerting DOD what we are doing." Vance answered. They all nodded in understanding.

**Shenandoah National Forest**

Gibbs and A.J. walked around the small cabin, checking supplies and securing the perimeter. Gibbs was frustrated to be out here, out of touch.

"I'm not a fugitive!" He complained to A.J. The last thing he wanted was for Parsons and his posse to think he was on the run.

"Not yet, anyway." A.J. responded, only half-joking. He had no problem sending Gibbs packing if he truly thought his life was in danger. But he also knew the "Gunny"; he would stand and fight rather than run.

Finally satisfied with the location, A.J. took his leave. "Keep your phone charged. Use the car charger if you have no electricity."

"Yeah, I know." Gibbs waved it off.

A.J. looked closely at him. "Your team is worried about you, Gunny."

Gibbs looked sharply at him. "You keep them out of this. If they want me, they can come after me. But my team is off-limits. You tell DiNozzo to stand down if he gets it in his head to lead a charge."

A.J. chuckled, realizing how well Gibbs knew his team. "It may be too late, but I will keep an eye on their activities. It won't help your case if they start breaking more laws in your behalf. Take care, Jethro. I'll call you soon."

Gibbs watched A.J. return to his car and drive off. He looked around at the camp site. At any other time, he would feel at peace and at home. He had many wonderful memories of times spent here, alone and with Shannon and Kelly. He shook his head to lose those thoughts.

He suddenly felt very tired. He went inside the cabin and started a fire, deciding to put up a pot of coffee. Lying down on the small bed, he contemplated his future, or lack thereof.

"_Daddy, how could you do this? We trusted you!"_

"_Jethro! You took an oath. To protect your country and its laws. You're supposed to be a Marine! No Marine would do what you've done!_

"_Leroy Jethro Gibbs, do you have any last words before we give you the injection?" Gibbs looked through the picture window. Tony, McGee and Abby were all there, looking angry. Vance was smiling, giving him a thumb's up. _

_He wondered where Ziva was, confused and unsure of what was happening. He became aware of another bed in the room and looked to his left. His eyes opened wide in terror._

_On the bed lay Ziva, her eyes wide open, the tourniquet being removed from her arm. "Ziver…" Gibbs felt the tears well up in his eyes. He looked at the man who had spoken to him. To his shock, it was Richard Parsons._

"_Why are you doing this?" He whispered fearfully._

_Parsons smile was pure evil. "Because. I. Can."_

Gibbs sat up in the bed, perspiring, his eyes filled with terror.

"Wha…?" He didn't realize where he was at first, he was so confused.

"Oh my God!" He got up from the bed and ran to the kitchen, splashing cold water on his face.

"_Think that's going to help, Probie?"_

Gibbs stopped, not sure he really heard the voice. If he had, then he was totally screwed. He slowly turned around.

"Mike? I'm just imagining this, right?" Gibbs was never more scared in his whole life.

"_Well, yeah, Probie. I'm dead, remember? If you weren't imagining me then that would mean…well, you get my drift."_

Gibbs thought about the implications of that statement. Did he just dream he was about to be executed, or did it really happen? He rubbed his eyes. _"Was he going insane?"_

"_You're not crazy, Gibbs. You just need my help. I came before, remember?"_

Gibbs frowned. "No, I don't remember. What are you talking about?"

"_Well, now I'm disappointed. I thought I put in a stellar performance, if you don't mind the pun."_

At Gibbs' blank look, Mike rolled his eyes_. "Stellar? Heaven? Come on, Probie; work with me here."_

Gibbs smiled softly at his old friend. Dead or alive, Mike Franks shot from the hip. His smile faded. "Ziva! Is she ok?"

"_I don't know, Probie. Is she? She's got a hell of a fight on her hands. Especially since you aren't there to take care of things." _ Mike sat down by the fire.

"_Man, I wish I could have a cup of Joe."_ He said wistfully.

Gibbs looked at the pot and realized he needed a strong cup himself. Pouring the life-sustaining liquid, he took a long pull. "Sorry, Mike.

"_Aw, Hell. Don't you worry about __me__. It's __you__ we got to worry about."_

The sound of a car coming up the trail made Gibbs look out the window. He turned to Mike but he was gone. He whirled around, wondering what was going on. Going back to the window, he saw Tony, Ziva and Tim get out of a car.

He didn't go out to meet them. He wasn't happy they were here, but he wasn't going to ignore them either. Tony knocked on the cabin door.

"It's open." Gibbs called out gruffly.

The team came in, looking around hesitantly.

"Boss, you picked a hell of a hiding place." Tony began.

"I'm not hiding, DiNozzo. My place was busted up, remember?"

Tony didn't respond by saying Gibbs didn't need to come all of the way out here just for a place to stay. He knew what A.J. was doing.

"Why are you here?" Gibbs asked, cutting the small talk.

Ziva looked at Tony. "Gibbs, we've found some information that may help you."

"Don't want to hear it. And I don't want you poking around in any of this. You need to keep your noses clean and steer clear of Richard Parsons." Gibbs mouth was in a thin line.

Ziva was troubled. This was _Gibbs_. She would rather die than not do everything in her power to help him.

"Gibbs, let us help you." She pleaded.

"It's not your job!" He said angrily. "Your job is to sit back and keep the heat off of yourselves. DiNozzo, you need to be doing everything you can to get Ziva's security clearance straightened out. I've got an attorney. Don't waste your time on me."

They three looked at each other, almost distraught. They could not, would not, let this go.

"Boss…" Tony spoke.

"Leave, now!" Gibbs walked to the door and opened it. "I don't need you here, and I certainly don't need you to be seen here. Go."

Tony started to open his mouth again, but changed his mind. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew when Gibbs was in this mode there was no reasoning with him. He nodded at Gibbs, and put his hand at the small of Ziva's back, steering her toward the door.

She looked at him in protest, but anything she might have said died on her lips. She looked into Tony's eyes, seeing pain and resignation. Nodding solemnly, she allowed herself to be led back to the car.

McGee wavered a bit. Finally, he turned. "Take care of yourself, Boss." He said finally, closing the door behind him.

Gibbs sat heavily in one of the wooden chairs at the small table, rubbing the back of his neck. He was so proud of his team, but he truly felt they would be throwing their lives away if they continued trying to help him. No; it was best for everyone involved if they went back to NCIS and went on without him.

"_You just keep telling yourself that, Probie."_

Tony, Ziva and Tim sat quietly in the car. Finally, Tim spoke. "Are we really leaving?"

Tony looked in the rearview mirror, catching McGee's eye. "You heard the man. I don't have to like it, but I have to respect it. He wants to be alone. Fine, I get it. But sit on our asses and do nothing? Not a chance. We need to talk to A.J." Tony turned on the ignition and backed the car out and turned it around, heading back to D.C.

**NCIS**

McGee went down to the lab to work with Abby on trying to trace Malachi's phone call, while Tony and Ziva met with Vance to discuss Ziva's situation.

Vance was sympathetic, but made it clear his hands were tied. "I don't know what I can do, Agents. David signed a document explicitly prohibiting such close contact with a foreign national."

Ziva looked frustrated. "_I_ am a foreign national. It was nothing! It meant nothing!"

At Ziva's outburst, Tony felt a cold chill in his gut. He looked at Ziva, realization hitting him like a cold bucket of water.

"Director Vance, if Ziva is to be reprimanded or whatever it is Parsons plans to do with her for sleeping with Eshel; then he needs to do the same thing to me."

Ziva looked at Tony in shock. Vance also looked surprised, but somewhat amused. "You slept with Eshel also?"

Tony grimaced at that thought. "No, I slept with Ziva."

Ziva looked confused. "Tony, I am a naturalized citizen. It is not the same."

Tony took her hand and looked at her. "You weren't eight years ago."

Her eyes widened at that. Vance looked stunned, and then narrowed his eyes. "Eight years ago? You two were involved eight years ago?"

Ziva shook her head. "We were undercover as a married couple. We had to maintain a level of believability. It is not the same, and should not matter."

Vance stuck a toothpick in his mouth. "Is that right, DiNozzo? It was only for the sake of saving your cover?"

Tony hiked an eyebrow. "Do the regulations stipulate the reason for said relations or are they only concerned about the relations? Besides, I was not referring to our time as Jean-Paul and Sophie."

Vance acknowledged Tony's question regarding the caveat but frowned at his newest revelation.

"Then when exactly are you talking about?"

"The summer Gibbs retired. Ziva and I were in a relationship. We only stopped when Gibbs came back."

"Tony! Don't!" Ziva gasped.

He turned to her. "Don't what? Sit on my ass and be a coward and watch them throw you to the wolves for doing something I'm guilty of myself? How is that fair, Ziva?"

"Please, Tony. Do not do this. It is bad enough that they are going after Gibbs. Please, not you too." She covered her face.

Tony was wracked with guilt: for putting Ziva through this, for being angry at her before, for realizing he did the same damn thing even if it was for different reasons.

"What kind of man would I be to sit back and say nothing, Ziva? I have to be honest with myself, otherwise how can I live with myself?"

"Then we are all ruined." Ziva said sadly, a few tears escaping.

"No, not ruined. We may not have the highest level security clearance, but we can always do something." He turned to Vance.

"If you can't help Ziva, and me; then you need to help Gibbs. McGee is working with Abby right now." Tony quickly explained what they had found. Vance was pissed about this new development.

"I'm calling Director Elbaz. I want to hear it from her that Officer Ben-Gidon was not here on Mossad orders. Let me know what McGee finds out. And Agents…I'll do what I can." Vance nodded in dismissal.

Tony and Ziva stepped outside and stood in the hall. "Why did you do that?" Ziva asked.

"I told you. It isn't fair. I'm willing to take my punishment. I never thought about breaking any regulations when we were together. I should have, but I didn't. I know you weren't thinking that either. We can't be held to a different standard, Ziva. It wouldn't be right."

"You are the most honest man I know." Ziva whispered to him, placing her hand on his chest. Tony looked down briefly.

"Except to myself. If I had been willing to admit to myself, and to you, how I was really feeling, maybe you never would have slept with Adam. Maybe I would have gone to Israel with you."

Ziva looked at Tony with sorrow. "Then I am glad you did not."

Tony looked surprised and hurt. "No, please. Let me finish. If you had come with me, and we ended up in bed together; after all of this time: how could I be sure you were not just feeling sorry for me, or taking advantage of me in my vulnerable state? How could you be sure that I was not just using you to ease my pain? No, it is better that we came together again at another time, when there was no question of our feelings."

Tony stared at her, her words sinking into his consciousness. He remembered telling McGee that funerals were a great place to pick up women, because they were so vulnerable. And then taking Stan to task when he thought he was hitting on Ziva. She _had_ been vulnerable, and Adam took advantage of _her_. He was ready to take that trip with Gibbs.

**Shenandoah National Forest**

Gibbs brought in some wood and put it by the fire. Even though it was May, it was still cold at night, sometimes as low as the thirties.

He ate his beans after cooking them cowboy-style, then settled back with a piece of wood, whittling.

"_I never got the chance to thank you for the nice job you did on my coffin, Probie."_

"You deserved something nice, Mike. Least I could do." Gibbs continued his carving, blowing off the shavings and scrutinizing his work.

"_Hell of thing, ain't it? After everything we've been through, some candy-assed ugly-suit is going to be the one to bring down the curtain."_

"Yeah, I guess it is. If he wins. I don't plan on making his day."

"_That's it, that's what I've been waiting to hear. What's your plan, Probie?"_

Gibbs stopped working with the wood and stared off into the distance. "My plan? I don't have a plan. I'm counting on my lawyer to handle this for me."

"_What? Leroy Jethro Gibbs is going to sit on his ass and let a __lawyer __handle things? Are you dense?"_

Gibbs smiled. "Maybe. But that's how it is, for now anyway." He stopped smiling. "I am worried about Ziva, though."

"_You should be, Gibbs. They could throw the book at her. And now, when her life is finally on track."_

Gibbs put down his knife. "DiNozzo will look out for her."

"_DiNozzo! Well ain't that a kick in the pants. I always thought he had an eye for our Ziva, but I thought he was too stupid to figure it out."_

Gibbs chuckled. "Oh, he figured it out, alright."

"_Then he better figure something out soon. Ziva's got two beautiful babies if things turn out the way they should."_

Gibbs looked at Mike, startled. "How do you know that? Can you see the future?"

"_There's no past, present or future as far as I'm concerned. It just __is__. Don't tell me this surprises you?" _

Gibbs shook his head. "No, I already made them a crib. Shocked the hell out of them, though." Gibbs chuckled again.

"_Think how shocking it's going to be when Ziva gives birth in prison then, Probie. Or in exile in Israel."_

Gibbs dropped his carving. "Are you saying she's pregnant…now?" He thought of her going through the car accident and her fight with Bodnar. He saw the injuries from the body blows. How could she have held on to a pregnancy after going through that?

Mike just stared at him, not answering. "Mike, if you know something you have to tell me!" Gibbs started pacing.

"_How would I know? I'm just a figment of your imagination, right? That's why I'm here. You need to figure this out. What exactly are you fighting for, or are you fighting at all?"_

**Abby's Lab**

Tim and Abby sat next to each other at the console, head phones on. They were both listening to cell calls in the vicinity of the Navy Yard the night in question. Abby suddenly reached out to McGee.

Tim took off the headphones. "What do you have Abby?" He asked, anxious.

"It's really garbled…" She fiddled with some controls and brought up the audio of the call she was listening to.

"_Yes…inside. Leav… shortl…Understo…the b…in place."_ Abby paused the recording. "That is Malachi talking." She pressed play again. The next voice was clearly American, or at least the speaker did not have an accent.

"_Go…rk. We…..contact…on. Conti…wi….nar." _Abby pressed pause again and looked at McGee. He was frowning, trying to puzzle out the conversation.

"Well, I think the _nar_ is in reference to Bodnar. It could be that Ben-Gidon was working with someone against both Kazmi and Bodnar, or Bodnar was lying and he really did have something to do with his death." McGee said.

Abby mouthed the broken words, trying to come up with something that made sense. "Conti….wi….nar. The obvious choice for the first word in 'continue' so 'Continue…wi…Bodnar.' Continue with Bodnar?" She looked at Tim. "That sounds like he had infiltrated Bodnar's group as opposed to really being on his side."

She listened again to the recording. "The 'we' is concerning, Tim. That means there is more than one person behind this. It could be anybody. 'we…contact…on.' Whoever he was speaking with said they would be contacting him. Wait. 'Soon', that's what he said. 'We will be contacting you soon."

"Can we get the number of the cell phone the other person was using?" Tim asked. Abby quickly did a reverse look-up and waited as her computer worked its magic.

"Damn this Parsons! He's trying to take down my Gibbs!" Abby burst out. "And it doesn't help that he looks like your evil twin, McGee!"

Whatever Tim's response to that would have been was interrupted when the computer dinged and showed the results. They both stared at it in horror. "Oh, Timmy. This is bad, bad, bad…."

**Bullpen**

Tony and Ziva were sitting at their desks, looking for leads. Ziva suddenly remembered something and rummaged in her bag. Getting up from her seat, she walked over to Tony's desk and dropped something on his desk.

He picked up the object and looking at her in confusion. "What's this?" He asked.

"The keys to my Mini." She said simply.

Tony knew what they were; he was asking why she was handing them to him. Now he felt uneasy. "You didn't make Tim's friend give it back, did you? I'm not that much of a poor loser."

Ziva chuckled. "There was no 'friend' of McGee's. We were just teasing you. I meant to give it to you all along, and then everything…happened."

Tony smiled wide. He got up and pulled her into an embrace. "Well, you two certainly got me, didn't you?"

Ziva patted his back. "Yes, we did. It was fun, at the time. I am sorry I forgot all about the car." She was interrupted from what she was about to say when Tony's phone rang.

Grinning, he answered the call. "_Very_ Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo."

McGee gulped as the blood drained from his face. "Tony? You and Ziva need to get down here, now!"

Tony and Ziva were tense as they exited off the elevator and entered the lab. Abby and Tim both turned together to look at them. Ziva felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. "What is it? What is wrong?" She asked.

Abby looked sympathetically at Ziva. "You're not going to like this, Ziva."

"Like what?" Both Tony and Ziva spoke at the same time.

Tim quickly explained about the recording they had found and let them listen to it. Ziva's eyes watered as she listened to Malachi's voice speak of bombs. "So Malachi _did_ do this."

"That's not all, Ziva." Abby said, as she played the rest of the recording. Tony frowned as he realized that the voice was definitely not Israeli.

"We?" Tony cut in. "There's more than the two of them? Shit!"

"That's still not why we called you down here." McGee cut in.

Tony frowned and looked at Ziva. Abby pointed to her computer. "We did a back trace on the cell Malachi was talking to. This is what came up." Tony and Ziva leaned in to look at the results.

Ziva gasped; her hand flying to her mouth. Tony's face was grim, anger just seething below the surface. "What the hell kind of game is this?"

"I don't know, Tony. But whoever did this used Ziva's old cell number."

Ziva looked at the number again. It was the number she had when she was dating Ray. After he was taken into custody, she got a new phone; and a new number.

She looked at Tony with troubled eyes. "Tony, Ray is in prison. He cannot have had anything to do with this."

"Sure he could, Ziva. I'm sure he's allowed visitors. He could have orchestrated this from the inside." Tony was ready to ram his fist into a wall. "He's trying to implicate you. If Homeland had found this, they wouldn't have gone past seeing your number."

Tony took a deep breath. "Ok, it's time to bring in Vance, A.J. and even Tom Morrow. Someone in the house is behind all of this and trying to cover it up by going after Gibbs, and maybe even Ziva. We have evidence pointing in that direction."

**Vance's Office**

Vance, Morrow and A.J. all listened quietly as the team presented their findings. Vance turned to Morrow. "Tom, you were the one who kept insisting that we back off from Bodnar. Were you aware of any of this?"

Morrow looked defeated. "We had information suggesting that the Kazmi assassination was done by us; and by 'us' I mean someone in one of our agencies. We knew Bodnar would probably have Intel regarding this; that's why we wanted him first. We needed to find out who was responsible and take care of it."

Ziva was livid. "Why could you have not said that in the beginning, instead of just telling us to go to Hell? I…we would have all stepped aside had we known the real reason!" Tony put his hand on her back, but was no less angry.

"By 'take care of it' I assume you mean sweep it under the carpet to save the Agency's ass. How is what you did less illegal than whatever it is they have on Gibbs?" Tony spat.

Morrow looked at Tony and Vance. "No one wants to admit that there is disease in their ranks. We only had suspicions, no proof. You don't hang you Agency out to dry on suspicions."

A.J. cocked an eyebrow at him. "And yet, isn't that what DOD is doing right now to Gibbs, and NCIS?"

Morrow turned on him. "I had nothing to do with that! I'm on your side in this matter, you know that!"

"Ok, everybody calm down." Vance interrupted. "First, let me say that I have spoken with Director Elbaz. She assures me that Ben-Gidon was not here on any sanctioned Mossad operation, and if he is involved in the Kazmi assassination, it is on his own volition."

"Of'course she would say that. She is not going to implicate Mossad." Ziva said bitterly.

Vance looked at her. "Do you think she was lying?"

Ziva's shoulders sagged. "I do not know what to think, anymore."

Vance nodded in understanding. "Tom, we need all the case files that Ray Cruz was working in the last year before he was brought up on charges. I want to know who he was closest to at CIA, who his contacts were, and who he was most likely to be working with." He looked back at Ziva.

"I don't want to bring him here unless we have to. I'd rather send DiNozzo and McGee to interrogate him at Lee."

Ziva looked up. "I will go."

"No, you won't." Tony said firmly. "You've had enough to last a lifetime. Don't put yourself through this, Ziva. Let someone else take care of you for once."

Ziva stared into Tony's eyes, seeing the truth of his words. It was time for her to step back, and let others fight for her. She nodded slowly and looked down at her hands, clenched tightly.

**Maximum Security Federal Penitentiary- Lee County Virginia**

Ray Cruz was brought into the conference room, looking haggard. He had on wrist and ankle shackles, and was heavily guarded.

Tony eyed him with unsympathetic eyes. "Orange is definitely your color." He finally said.

Ray just stared at him. "Why are you here? What do you want?"

Tony started clicking his ball point pen, knowing how much it had annoyed McGee and Gibbs. He didn't say anything, he just stared at Ray.

Ray shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He finally looked at McGee. "Are you going to tell me why you're here?"

McGee said nothing, just wrote something down in his notes.

"Where's Ziva?" Ray finally asked.

Tony stopped clicking his pen. "You see, this is how this is going to work. We're going to ask the questions, and you are going to answer them. You don't get to ask anything."

Ray sat back in his chair and regarded Tony. "Ok, fine. Have it your way. Ask away."

Tony leaned forward and showed him a picture of Malachi Ben-Gidon. "Do you know who this is?"

Ray shrugged. "Sure I do. You know who he is too. What does that prove?"

"Ah, you forgot I said no questions for you. Why would he call this number?" Tony pushed forward a piece of paper with Ziva's old cell number on it.

Ray did not register surprise or concern. "I guess he wanted to speak that person."

"_That person_. Who is _that person_, Ray?" McGee asked.

"Why would I know that?" He tried to spread his hands in denial, but didn't get very far.

"Ray, you are not following the rules very well, are you? But then, that was a big problem you had last year wasn't it? Following the rules. Let's cut the crap. You and I both know this is Ziva's old cell phone number. We both also know that she figured out what you did and turned you in. I'll bet that made you angry didn't it? I'll bet that made you want to do anything to make her pay."

Ray looked at Tony with half-closed eyes. "Tell me, DiNozzo. Have you finally moved in on my territory?"

Tony held in his anger. He was not going to let Cruz bait him. To his surprise, McGee jumped in. "Ziva is not a piece of property you asshole! You mean nothing to her, but apparently you haven't gotten over her. Who did you pay to do this? Who did you recruit?"

Ray was startled at McGee's outburst, having expected Tony to lash out at him. McGee was an unknown quantity to him and wasn't sure how he operated.

McGee stood up and walked over beside Ray. Bending down, he spoke menacingly in his ear. "This is what's going to happen. You're going to tell us everything you know about Arash Kazmi, Eli David and Ilan Bodnar. You're going to tell us who you gave Ziva's number to."

Ray licked his lips. "And what do I get in return?"

Tony was so proud of McGee. He swelled with pride seeing his Probie man-handle that CIA piece of shit. He smiled without humor. "What do you get? The sense of accomplishment one gets for doing the right thing. If you don't? I think when your parole hearing comes up; there will be a lot of interested parties willing to speak against your behalf."

Ray sighed. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain. After a moment's hesitation, he began spilling his guts.

**Fauquier County, Virginia**

Malachi Ben-Gidon frowned as he ended his call. He looked at his companion. "It has been confirmed. Agents DiNozzo and McGee are speaking to Ray Cruz."

CIA Agent Simon Atkins swore under his breath. He had been Ray's partner for years, and worked diligently with him on their overseas operations. He had been devastated by the turn of events that caused Cruz to be incarcerated. He blamed the David woman for all of this.

All she had to do was look aside. How many times had she done that with her own father, the evil Eli David? Why couldn't she do that with Ray? A man she supposedly loved and was engaged to? He didn't believe the rumors that swirled around at the time that she had refused his engagement. If Ray said she accepted, well then, she did.

Through Ben-Gidon, he became aware of Eli David's planned visit to the U.S., to meet with Kazmi. It was a perfect set-up: CIA could get rid of a known target and let someone else takes the blame.

Of'course, he knew his superiors wouldn't see it that way, so he formed his own team. He went to Ray, and between the two of them they formulated their plan.

The use of Ziva David's old cell number was inspired and would throw suspicion on her and Mossad. Having Ben-Gidon in their ranks gave them insider knowledge that was crucial to their success.

They had originally planned to take Kazmi down when he was in Georgetown, but then Agent Gibbs had showed up out of nowhere and took him to NCIS.

They now knew why, but at the time they were not aware that Eli David had been killed. They changed their plans and Malachi had planted the bomb on the undercarriage of Kazmi's vehicle.

Malachi had infiltrated Bodnar's ranks at the behest of Mossad, but they did not know he was also working with Atkins on this operation. The CIA had a man in the office of the Director, who repeatedly assured them that the new Director, Orlie Elbaz, was none the wiser regarding the death of Kazmi. Her sole desire was to bring down Bodnar. As Atkins was also on the task force looking into Eli David's murder, he was privy to all intelligence received from Mossad. It was a perfect set-up.

Atkins smiled. Ziva David once again did the handiwork for Mossad, by killing Bodnar. She was a formidable woman. He was not surprised that Ray had found her attractive in more than the physical sense. This made her betrayal of him all the more unforgiveable.

**Shenandoah National Forest**

Gibbs sat quietly in the chair, thinking about his future.

"_What do you want, Probie?"_

"All I ever wanted was to be a good Marine." He answered feeling completely lost, just as he had when Shannon and Kelly first died. He didn't know how things could ever go back to the way they were. Even if he was allowed to go back to NCIS, even if he was allowed his team back; would it even be the same team?

What would happen to Ziva? She hasn't been a citizen for ten years, so she was not protected. The government could revoke her citizenship and send her packing, if they so desired. Even if they didn't do that, she could lose her job at NCIS and they would make sure she would never have such a job again. He shuddered.

"_Life has a habit of short-circuiting our plans, Gibbs. Considering the storms you have weathered, I think you have done a damn fine job."_

"I never thought it would be like this." Gibbs wasn't sure if he was referring to his current situation or his life in general: being without his girls.

"_You never do. But you've made the best of it. The question is; can you live with the choices you've made? And you've made some pretty dicey ones there, Probie. Hell, I helped you make some of them. Do you have any regrets? Is there one time you can honestly say to yourself:_ I've gone too far? _Is there?"_

Gibbs looked out the window. The worst thing he ever did that he had control over was to plan and execute the killing of Pedro Hernandez. But if he was being honest with himself…and that was the point, wasn't it; if he was truly being honest with himself, he couldn't say that he regretted one moment of it. The Bastard got what he deserved.

"_Hmmm. Well then, I'm going to ask you, Probie: what are you doing to do about it?"_

Gibbs was silent for a few breaths. Finally he spoke with more strength and conviction than he had felt in days. "Fight!"

**NCIS**

Richard Parsons was not happy to be summoned to NCIS, and when he saw the entourage in Director Vance's office, he became even more anxious. "Secretary Jarvis." Parsons held out his hand in greeting to the Secretary of the Navy.

Jarvis just nodded, looking at A.J. to lead the discussion. Quickly, he laid out what they had found concerning the killing of Arash Kazmi and the efforts of Homeland Security and the CIA to suppress any knowledge of what had happened. Ray Cruz had named several key players as part of his group, including the lead counsel at DOD-Richard Parsons' boss.

Parson looked stunned and shook his head. "You're wrong. There must be some mistake."

"The only one making a mistake right now son, is you. You were given the task to bring down Gibbs and his team to draw attention away from the mess that has been brewing inside the CIA. If you continue on this track, you will be considered an accessory to their crimes."

"What! Hell, no. I'll bring them all down! Gibbs is guilty, Ziva David is guilty. And now you are telling me a Simon Atkins, Ray Cruz and Erik Heinz from CIA; Malachi Ben-Gidon from Mossad and my Boss Elliott Young are guilty of assassinating Arash Kazmi and covering it up. They can all rot in prison for all I care."

Jarvis cleared his throat. "Parsons, no one is denying that Gibbs and his team have overstepped some boundaries over the years. And I understand the concern over national security in regard to Agent David. But you never would have been here if it wasn't for this. Do you think I don't know what's going on in one of my own agencies? Do you think I am stupid?"

Parsons had the grace to look embarrassed. "No, of'course not, Sir."

"Fine, then I'm sure you will let this matter rest in my capable hands. In the meantime, you have a very serious situation at the CIA that needs attention. I am sure it will make a big impact on your career." Jarvis added knowingly.

Parsons looked around the room. "Am I being told to excuse myself from this case? And only by doing so will I be given the CIA case?"

Jarvis slapped him on the arm. "No one likes being made a fool of, Parsons. And someone has made a big one out of you. Drop Gibbs, drop NCIS. We'll back you on the Kazmi case." He stared into Parsons eyes; daring him to say no.

Parsons stared back at him, wavering slightly. Recognizing his defeat, he nodded his head. "Very well. I can count on NCIS for evidence?"

"Absolutely." Director Vance answered.

Tony, Ziva, and Tim all looked at each, breathing a sigh of relief. They couldn't imagine that Parsons would refuse to back down but he was unpredictable. Ziva sat down, unable to handle the emotions of the moment.

Tony quickly sat down next to her. "Are you ok?" He asked, worried.

She stared at Parsons talking to A.J. "It is all so surreal. This past month has been…I never thought anything could surpass what happened in January."

Tony sat quietly, feeling guilty for adding to the pain and suffering Ziva had endured. As if sensing his turmoil, she reached for his hand. "I could not have managed this without you."

Tony smiled and kissed her hand. "We need to go tell Gibbs." McGee walked up. "I just tried calling him, but he isn't answering his cell."

"Road Trip!" Tony smiled wide.

"I'll follow you." Director Vance came up. "I think I would like to be there as well."

They all headed down to the parking lot, getting into Agency cars. As they left the Navy Yard, Malachi spoke into his cell phone. "They are leaving now. I will follow and let you know where they end up."

**Shenandoah National Forest**

Gibbs finished cleaning his service revolver and was putting the finishing touches on his shotgun when he heard the cars pull up. He glanced outside, but didn't see any one. Suddenly, he heard shots ring out. Grabbing both guns, he ran outside.

Tony and Ziva were pinned down by the side of their car. McGee had run over to Vance's car to help over cover from there.

"How many do you see?" Tony asked Ziva.

She squinted her eyes. "I only got a clear look at one, but I do not think he is alone." A barrage of bullets from two sites confirmed that suspicion.

They both came up and fired their rounds, dropping back down for cover. "I don't have a lot of ammo with me." Tony said under his breath, looking behind his shoulder.

"Neither do I." Ziva said quietly. They looked at each other, wondering if they were trapped.

A shotgun blast behind them brought them to the present. "Gibbs!" Tony whispered as Gibbs came down beside them.

"What have you got?"

"Ambushed as we got out of the cars. No one was hit, luckily." Tony answered. Gibbs looked around at the other car, registering surprise that Vance was there.

"What are you doing here?" Gibbs asked.

"Came to tell you the good news, Boss. The case against you has been dropped. Shit!" Tony ducked as a bullet just missed the top of his head.

"That was close."

"Too close, DiNozzo. There's one over there by the tree and another stationed behind that big rock. Draw their fire while I make my way around."

"Boss…Boss!" Tried to get him to stay, but to no avail. He signaled to Vance and McGee with his fingers, counting down "three-two-one…"

The four Agents all stood and starting firing their weapons. Gibbs ran to the edge of the trees and took cover. He stealthily made his way toward his target.

"_What are you going to do this time, Probie? Are you going to shoot him or bring him in?"_

"I guess that depends on what he does to me first, Mike." Gibbs answered, ducking behind a large boulder. He finally saw the man. He had several weapons. He knew he would outgun his team very shortly.

Creeping up behind him, he placed his rifle barrel into the man's back. "Put down your weapon." He said quietly.

Simon Atkins froze, slowly dropping his gun. He turned around to face Gibbs.

"Get up, and start walking." Gibbs ordered.

Simon looked pale, but complied. He stood carefully, his arms raised and began walking toward the cars.

Tony and Ziva waited anxiously after Gibbs took off. Seeing movement behind the boulder, Ziva took off. "Ziva!" Tony hissed. "Dammit!" He took off after her.

Gibbs was almost at the clearing when he heard the unmistakable click of a trigger. "Agent Gibbs, if you would be so kind as to give me your weapon."

Gibbs smiled and turned to look at Malachi. "Ben-Gidon. Why am I not surprised to see you? You have a habit of shitting all over Ziva, don't you? You pretended to help her when she and Tony went to Europe. Is there anything you won't do for your precious Mossad?"

Malachi looked upset. "I am doing nothing for Mossad. Kazmi needed to be stopped. I had nothing to do with Eli's death, nor Bodnar's. I did what I could to help Ziva."

"Does that include ramming DiNozzo's car and stealing the diamonds? I was wondering how someone could know so quickly that Ziva would have them. Only someone who knew Ziva was in a position to take custody of them, only someone who worked with her to get Bodnar. Only…you."

"I did not want to hurt them, we only needed the diamonds. If that foolish Monique had not taken them, none of this would have happened!"

"But it did, you hurt me and you hurt Tony, Malachi. You lied to me. You have lied to me many times before. When is it one time too many?"

Malachi turned to see Ziva's gun trained on him. Tony came rushing up. "Drop it, Mal." He was out of breath and angry at both him and Ziva. McGee came up behind Gibbs, grabbing Simon's wrists and putting handcuffs on.

Malachi lowered his weapon and let Ziva take it from him. "It was for the best, Ziva. He only hurt you, you know that!"

Ziva refused to look at Malachi. She turned and walked back to the car. Tony watched her leave, and then turned to Malachi, coming behind him and binding his wrists. "You're a real asshole, you know that?"

**NCIS**

Gibbs listened to A.J. and Parsons as they explained what had transpired while he was at the cabin. He knew someone was covering up Kazmi's death, but he was shocked that Ray Cruz had been a part of it. How much more betrayal could Ziva take?

"So that's it? SNAFU?" Gibbs cocked his head. "Everyone goes back to work as if nothing's happened?"

"Well, not as if _nothing's_ happened. Agent David will receive an official reprimand and will be denied her high security clearance for two months. At the end of that time, her case will be re-evaluated." Parsons answered.

"Yeah, and what about DiNozzo? I understand he admitted to being guilty of breaking the same rule."

A.J. looked at Gibbs. "Do you really want Agent DiNozzo's security clearance taken away?"

"Of'course not! He's no good to me if he can't do his job. But I don't want Ziva's taken away either. As much as it pains me to say it, you can't punish one and not the other. So what's it going to be?"

**Bullpen**

Tony waited anxiously for Ziva to come down from her conference with Gibbs, Vance, A.J. and Parsons. He was surprised and worried that he had not been called for a conference as well. He wasn't sure what that meant, but he didn't think he was going to like it.

Finally, he caught sight of Ziva coming down the stair. He stood quickly and met her before she reached to bottom step.

"Well?" He asked breathlessly.

"Nothing." She said flatly.

"Nothing? What does that mean?" Tony looked up to see Gibbs coming down the stairs.

"She means nothing is going to happen to her. Security clearance has been restored. Back to full duty."

Tony looked at Ziva, grinning widely. But his smile faded when he saw the unhappiness in her face. "But, this is good news, right?" He looked at Gibbs for confirmation.

Gibbs didn't say anything and Ziva slipped beside him and went to her desk. She proceeded to place her badge and keys in the drawer and picked up her bag.

"What are you doing? You didn't quit, did you?" Tony was so shocked his could barely form his words. Ziva didn't answer him but headed for the elevator. Tony looked helplessly at Gibbs. He just nodded his head toward the elevator. Tony took off and got his hand in, forcing it to open again.

They looked at each other as the elevator doors closed.

"Boss?" Gibbs knew what McGee was asking.

"She's taking a leave of absence, to work through all of this. It's been a hell of time for her. She feels she needs to get away from NCIS and DC, to make sense of it all."

"Does that include getting away from Tony?" McGee was worried for his friend. He would be difficult to handle while she was gone.

"Tony's not why she's leaving, but I guess you could say she's leaving him for a while as well. He'll be fine." Gibbs hoped he was right. He remembered how DiNozzo was when he thought Ziva had been killed. But this was different, wasn't it?

**Two weeks later**

McGee came into the bullpen, looking around in surprise. Ziva would be gone at least another three weeks, but neither Tony nor Gibbs was anywhere to be seen.

"Agent McGee!" Tim looked up as Director Vance came down the stairs.

"Good morning, Director." McGee said pleasantly, even though his insides were churning.

"I just wanted to let you know that you are on your own for a while. Agent DiNozzo asked for some time off, as did Agent Gibbs. Considering what the team has been through, if you would like some time as well I will grant it." McGee looked at the three empty desks. They were _all_ gone? He looked back at Vance.

"No, thank you Director. I would prefer to keep working."

"As you wish." Vance nodded. "I have some special projects that have your name on it. If a case comes up that requires you to go out into the field, just pick your team."

McGee's eyes bugged out at that. "_My_ team?" He asked, incredulous.

"Just temporarily, Agent McGee. Until Gibbs comes back." Vance smiled.

McGee surprised himself at the sense of relief he felt at that. He wanted his own team someday, but he didn't feel he was ready. He had a good idea where Tony went. Thinking about getting his own life back on track, he headed down to Abby's lab.

**PLAYAS DE MATAPALO, ****Costa Rica**

Ziva stood at the water's edge, digging her bare toes into the pristine sand. The sun was starting to set, less than an hour until sundown. The beautiful beach was relaxing and remote. She had everything she needed: the sun, a chair, and a book.

Well, not quite _everything _she needed if she was being honest with herself, but she knew she had to do this alone. Already she felt more at peace, more accepting and happy of where she was in her life.

She stooped down and picked up a beautiful shell, marveling at it intricacies. She caught sight of a lone figure walking in her direction. She shielded her eyes, gasping in surprise when she realized who it was.

"I should have known you would find me here." Ziva said as Tony finally reached her.

He smiled. "Well, I was thinking. Why should you be the only to take a vacation right now? And then I thought, where would be a great place to go and well…" He held his arms out.

"You had McGee ping my cell phone, didn't you?" To his relief, Ziva didn't seem angry. In fact, she didn't even seem surprised.

"Guilty. Are you angry?" He looked into her eyes.

"No, I am not angry. But I _am_ confused." She looked closely at him.

"Tony, why are you here?"

Tony shifted on his feet. "Well, I told you that I thought we could all use a vacation, and besides, McGee was missing you and worried."

Ziva shook her head in amused annoyance. She looked at him again. "Why are you here?"

Tony smiled softly and took a deep breath. "Couldn't live without you…I guess."

Before Ziva could respond, he quickly added. "Besides, I thought I better be here in case you felt alone again."

Ziva cocked an eyebrow at him. "I told you I would call."

Tony shrugged unapologetically. "I know you did. And then I thought: what would I do when _I_ felt alone, and I realized a phone call wouldn't be enough. It…it would never be enough."

Ziva understood that Tony was saying he understood what Ziva had gone through in Israel; that calling him wouldn't have been enough to ease her pain, her aloneness. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. Even though they had discussed it and agreed to move past it, she didn't feel they had, not totally.

Tony took her hand, sliding it under his so they could intertwine their fingers. Ziva looked at him and smiled. "Tony, I…"

Tony looked up; a happy relaxed smile on his face. "Yeah?"

"Ani ohevet ot'cha." She said softly, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Tony smiled, with tears in his eyes as they embraced. He pulled back. "I know." He smiled.

"I love you too, Ziva." Pulling her close, he lowered his head and touched her lips with his, feeling the final golden rays of the sun bathe them in its soft glow. The gentle sound of the waves brought a peace that both of them hadn't felt in months. As the sun made its final descent into the watery depths, they looked into each other's eyes, knowing they were truly going to be ok.

**Gibbs' Home- North Alexandria**

Gibbs sat in his basement, sipping at his bourbon. He was weary, not just in body but in mind. This latest episode had taken its toll and for the first time, he wondered how much longer he was going to do this.

"_You need your team, Probie."_

Gibbs cocked his head. "But do they need me? It's time for DiNozzo to lead his own team, for him and Ziva to move on with their lives. Hell, McGee deserves more than to be a junior field agent. They are all so much more than that."

"What if I'm the one holding them back? That they only stay where they are because of some sense of loyalty to me? I can't let them throw away their careers on a cussed Gunny like myself."

"_So are you going to tell them what to do? What's the difference between doing that, and staying put? Either way, you are determining their futures according to your way of thinking."_

Gibbs rubbed his face. "I know. But what can I do? They're all too stubborn for their own good."

"_Get that from you I would imagine."_

"Maybe, maybe not." Gibbs conceded. "Something's got to give though. Tony and Ziva will need to make plans. That will change things."

"_Oh, you have no idea, Probie. Just think: DiNozzo, Ziva, beautiful beaches and little clothing…I think that crib might come in handy."_

Gibbs chuckled at that. "Yeah, maybe." He shook his head. He looked around. Maybe it was time to make some changes. Maybe this was a wakeup call. Maybe, just maybe…it was time for _Gibbs_ to make a decision.

"To Be Continued…" phoof.

_**And there, my friends, is the final chapter of "Promonitions". Since Tony and Ziva are not in the same relationship as they are in my story, I don't have a lot of hope for the TIVA scenes as depicted here. I fought against involving Ray, because he was in prison, but I came up with this alternative.**_

_**I truly don't think everything will be resolved in the final, in fact I'm not sure anything will be resolved in the final: the case against Gibbs, Ziva's status on the team, Ziva and Tony or Kazmi. I haven't decided if I will continue this series for Season Eleven. A lot depends on the end result of this season. But I want to thank each and every one of you for your support and encouragement during the writing of this.**_


End file.
